What A Surprise? Paris Court Cleared Platypus Hackers Of All Charges

• The Paris criminal court recently acquitted the Platypus hackers, stating that French law doesn’t prohibit protocol hacks.
• Platypus, a decentralized finance platform, suffered an 8.3 million euro loss due to a code error exploited.
• Crypto exchange Binance’s alert led investigators to trace financial flows, resulting in the arrest of two brothers.

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The Paris criminal court reportedly recently cleared the hackers of Platypus of all charges, allowing them to leave the courtroom without legal consequences.

The judge explicitly stated that French criminal law does not technically prohibit protocol hacks, leading to the dismissal of charges against the Platypus hackers.

According to the report, decentralized finance platform, Platypus, lost the equivalent of $9.03 million in a crypto pool.

It stated that Mohammed M. took advantage of a code error that day, withdrawing all assets without providing any equivalent in return.

Such incidents are common in decentralized finance, where automation streamlines crypto operations. 

Hi @zachxbt

The Paris criminal court has just dismissed the charges against the hackers of Platypus. They walked out of court free.

The judge basically said “French criminal law doesn’t technically forbid hacks of protocol”.

Very disappointing.https://t.co/sVV7hoa3LX https://t.co/tYDy0nB1Dg

— Victor Charpiat (🐊,🐊) (@VCharpiat) December 1, 2023

However, vulnerabilities in the programming of “smart contracts” can become conduits for fund theft.

Crypto exchange Binance reportedly alerted investigators at the Central Office for Crime in Information and Communication Technologies.

See Also: Ethereum Network Destroys Over 105,000 ETH in One Month

Within days, they traced financial flows, leading to the identification and arrest of two brothers, Mohammed and Benamar M. It notes that Mohammed M. was facing charges of unauthorized access, maintaining an automated data system, fraud, and money laundering.

Meanwhile, his brother reportedly faced accusations related to handling stolen goods. However, the judge has dismissed the case.

This incident highlights challenges in the decentralized finance sector and the ongoing battle against vulnerabilities.

However, Platypus’s loss underscores the need for robust security measures in an era where financial automation brings both efficiency and risks.

As the industry evolves, platforms must fortify smart contracts against potential exploits.