Rocket Network exploited for $287K; deposits, withdrawals, and trading paused while team investigates.
Security & Exploits ·
Rocket Network halted all deposits, withdrawals, and trading on September 6, 2026, following a security incident that occurred the previous day. An attacker exploited a dormant perpetual market by using a burner account to place orders at artificially inflated prices and execute trades against itself, generating false gains in one account while incurring losses in another. The profitable position then withdrew approximately $287K in positive PnL through Bridge, with the resulting shortfall distributed across the platform's users.
The attack's mechanics relied on self-dealing in a derivatives market to manufacture withdrawable value. The team is coordinating with security firms, law enforcement, exchanges, bridges, and stablecoin issuers to locate and freeze the withdrawn funds. A recovery plan is under development, with the team prioritizing refunds for smaller account holders, though specifics have not yet been disclosed.
It remains unclear how long the platform will remain paused, whether the full $287K can be recovered, or what systemic changes will be implemented to prevent similar exploitation of dormant markets. The team has cautioned users that legitimate communication will occur only through official Rocket channels and Discord; any direct messages claiming to offer recovery assistance are fraudulent.