CertiK: 2026 Hacks Will Come with Deepfakes and Phishing

CertiK senior blockchain researcher Natalie Newson predicts that the biggest hacks in 2026 will stem from real-time deepfakes, phishing attacks, supply chain breaches, and cross-chain vulnerabilities. The sector has already suffered over $600 million in losses in 2026 due to two North Korea-linked thefts in April; these include the $293 million Kelp DAO exploit from a single point of failure in LayerZero infrastructure and the $280 million DRIFT detailed analysis breach. Additionally, North Korea-linked hackers used an AI-based long-term social engineering attack to steal approximately $100,000 from Zerion’s hot wallets.

Drift Protocol Hack: $280 Million Vulnerability

In the DRIFT Protocol breach, the vulnerability in the protocol’s unauthorized access mechanism was exploited. According to current data, DRIFT price is at 0.03 USD level, 24-hour change -%6.91. RSI at 39.64 is near the oversold region, but Supertrend is giving a bearish signal. EMA 20: 0.0411 USD. Supports: S1 0.0248 USD (strong, 70% score), S2 0.0336 USD. Resistances: R1 0.0350 USD (+%1.07). Investors should monitor these levels for DRIFT futures.

North Korea Attacks: Kelp DAO and LayerZero

LayerZero’s single point of trust error led to a $293 million loss in Kelp DAO. This highlights the common risk in cross-chain bridges. Similar risks apply to ZRO token holders; detailed review on the ZRO analysis page.

Newson’s 2026 Hack Predictions and Defense Recommendations

Newson, while stating that AI will exacerbate crypto attacks, recommended that investors verify URLs and smart contracts against phishing, and store unused assets regularly in cold wallets. AI is also a defense tool; models like Claude Mythos detect vulnerabilities.

2025 Hack Statistics: Record Losses

In 2025, the average hack size rose to $19.5 million. According to CertiK, total losses are $3.3 billion; supply chain breaches $1.45 billion (Bybit $1.4 billion the largest). US Treasury OCCIP has included firms in cyber programs.

The average size of crypto hacks rose to $19.5 million in 2025. Source: TRM Labs