NEAR Intents has publicly declared it knows the identity of the attacker who drained roughly $3.8 million from the protocol, issuing a 48-hour ultimatum for the funds to be returned.
A Direct Message to the Attacker
In a statement on Friday, NEAR Intents general manager Alex Shevchenko addressed the perpetrator directly, saying the team had traced the exploit back to its source. "We have identified you, sir," Shevchenko said, framing the remark as both a warning and an invitation to cooperate.
The protocol followed the declaration with a clear deadline, giving the hacker 48 hours to return the stolen assets. Such ultimatums have become a common tactic in the crypto industry, where projects often dangle leniency or a bug-bounty style payout in exchange for the return of funds before pursuing legal and on-chain tracing measures.
"We have identified you, sir."
The Exploit and Its Aftermath
The breach resulted in the loss of approximately $3.8 million, a significant sum for the intents-based protocol. NEAR Intents is designed to streamline transactions by letting users express desired outcomes rather than manually executing each step, a model that has gained traction across decentralized finance.
Security incidents remain a persistent threat in the sector, with attackers frequently targeting bridges, smart contracts, and newer infrastructure. Teams that act quickly to identify culprits and publicize their findings hope to pressure hackers into negotiating rather than attempting to launder the proceeds.
Key points surrounding the incident include:
- Losses totaling around $3.8 million
- A public claim that the attacker has been identified
- A 48-hour window for the return of funds
Whether the hacker responds to the ultimatum remains to be seen, but NEAR Intents' aggressive public stance signals its intent to recover the assets and hold the responsible party accountable.