Crypto Asset Security Alert Week: Multiple Risks from Murder Cases to Wallet Vulnerabilities

Source: CritpoTendencia Original Title: Murder of Ukrainian student in Vienna sparks international alarm over possible crypto theft Original Link:

Murder of Ukrainian Student in Vienna Exposes Crypto Asset Risks

Austrian authorities have arrested two Ukrainian citizens accused of torturing and murdering a 21-year-old student. The victim, identified by local media as Danylo K., was the son of the deputy mayor of Kharkiv, Ukraine. His body was found completely charred inside his Mercedes-Benz after a violent assault, and his crypto wallet had been emptied.

The victim was discovered in the early hours of November 26, when flames and smoke from the vehicle triggered alarms in a nearby residential complex. The body was unrecognizable due to fire damage. Vienna police announced that the two suspects—a 19-year-old and a 45-year-old man—were apprehended on Saturday after fleeing Austria and entering Ukraine three days earlier. While the motive has not been fully confirmed, investigators noted withdrawal transactions from the student’s crypto wallet, pointing to greed as a possible motive.

Growing Calls for Trump to Pardon Crypto Wallet Developers

Calls for a presidential pardon for Samourai Wallet developers Keonne Rodríguez and William Lonergan Hill are mounting as their prison date in early January 2026 approaches. Bitcoin advocates and political organizations are urging former U.S. President Donald Trump to intervene.

The two were sentenced to prison in November, with Rodríguez receiving five years and Hill four years, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmission business. Money laundering charges were dropped as part of the plea agreement, but unless pardoned, their sentences remain in effect.

Influential figures in the Bitcoin community—such as Max Keiser, Marty Bent, and Walker America—have publicly voiced support for the developers. Zack Shapiro, a researcher at the Bitcoin Policy Institute, stated that the case misapplied federal law by conflating non-custodial software with traditional financial services.

Ledger Warns Android Chip Vulnerability May Threaten Web3 Wallet Users

Hardware wallet maker and security company Ledger has issued a warning about a critical vulnerability discovered in processor chips widely used in Android smartphones. The flaw could allow attackers with physical access to the device to compromise software-based Web3 wallets.

Ledger’s research team, Donjon, demonstrated that hardware fault injection techniques can bypass basic security controls and gain full control of the chip. The company emphasized that this finding does not affect Ledger hardware wallets, but it does highlight the limitations of relying solely on mobile phones to protect digital assets.

Donjon’s report, published Wednesday, detailed its analysis of the Mediatek Dimensity 7300 (MT6878), a chip manufactured by TSMC and found in multiple mainstream Android models. While software vulnerabilities have historically been the focus of mobile security, Ledger warns that physical attacks remain a significant risk, especially given the prevalence of lost or stolen smartphones.

Pepe Official Website Hacked, Users Redirected to Malicious Links

The official website of memecoin Pepe (PEPE) was hacked on Thursday, with attackers inserting malicious code that redirected visitors to fraudulent links. According to cybersecurity company Blockaid, the portal experienced a front-end attack involving components of Inferno Drainer, a known toolkit for creating phishing pages, draining wallets, and executing social engineering tactics.

Despite the incident, PEPE’s price did not react immediately. The token rose about 4% in the past 24 hours, though it remains down more than 77% over the past year, according to CoinGecko data.

The attack underscores the importance of caution within the crypto ecosystem. Experts advise avoiding the Pepe website until the issue is resolved.