DeadLock Ransomware Uses Polygon Smart Contracts For Proxy Rotation

infosecurity-magazine.com Sep 7, 2026

DeadLock Ransomware Uses Polygon Smart Contracts For Proxy Rotation

Curated by Shubham · TechCapsules · Sep 7, 2026

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

DeadLock, a ransomware group first identified in July 2025, has begun using Polygon blockchain smart contracts to store and rotate proxy server addresses for its command‑and‑control traffic. The malware retrieves proxy URLs through read‑only calls to a specific contract, avoiding hard‑coded servers and eliminating transaction fees that could reveal activity. Researchers at Group‑IB observed HTML files that contact victims via the encrypted Session messenger, with AnyDesk employed for remote access and PowerShell scripts used to halt services and erase shadow copies. Files are renamed with a .dlock extension and ransom notes threaten data sale. Multiple contracts linked to a single wallet, funded shortly before deployment, allow the attackers to update proxies on demand, complicating traditional blocking methods for cybersecurity teams.

💡 Why It Matters

· Hijacking a public blockchain for proxy rotation gives ransomware a resilient, low‑cost C2 channel that can be replicated, forcing defenders to redesign detection without harming legitimate decentralized use.

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Liquid Hackers Return 3,400 Bitcoin Taken via Elements Bug, Still Holding $47M…

A hacker group that claimed to be white‑hat stole nearly 4,000 BTC from the Liquid Network on September 6. The next day, 3,400 BTC (≈$265 million) were returned to the Liquid Federation address, leaving 598.5 BTC (≈$47 million) unreturned. The theft used a bug in Elements that created L‑BTC, which was then peg‑out to the main chain. Blockstream confirmed the return after patching its bridge nodes, but the Liquid sidechain remains paused and the incident is still active.

💡 The incident exposes a critical vulnerability in a major Bitcoin sidechain, underscoring the need for rigorous security audits and rapid response protocols in decentralized finance infrastructure.

analyticsinsight.net · Sep 8

Raghuram Rajan Joins Ripple Swell 2026 Speaker Lineup in New York

Former Reserve Bank of India governor Raghuram Rajan has joined the speaker lineup for Ripple Swell 2026, the company’s annual conference on payments and digital assets. Rajan will participate in the invitation-only Institutional Summit on October 27 in New York City, preceding the main event at The Shed. Ripple announced his inclusion via a September 4 press release, though specific session details remain undisclosed. The summit targets representatives from banks, investment firms, and payment providers. This year, Ripple is merging Swell with its developer-focused XRPL Apex conference for the first time, running until October 29. Rajan, a former IMF chief economist and current University of Chicago professor, has previously served on Ripple’s RLUSD advisory board. His participation underscores the event’s focus on integrating institutional finance with blockchain technology. The broader lineup features executives from financial institutions, technology companies, and academia. Ripple plans to release the complete schedule and further speaker details in the coming months.

💡 Rajan’s presence legitimizes Ripple’s push for mainstream institutional adoption by leveraging his authority in central banking and regulatory policy. Merging the developer and institutional tracks signals a strategic shift toward unifying technical infrastructure with high-level financial governance.

thequantuminsider.com · Sep 7

India’s Global Fintech Fest 2026 to Highlight Quantum Technology, AI and Tokenization

India’s Global Fintech Fest 2026 will open in Mumbai on September 8, launching a four‑day program that spotlights quantum technology, agentic artificial intelligence and tokenisation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the seventh edition, which gathers regulators, banks, tech firms, investors and scholars to explore how these emerging tools can deliver measurable outcomes for citizens and economies. Maharashtra’s chief minister, Devendra Fadnavis, used the event to promote Mumbai as a fintech hub, citing the state’s leadership in startups, venture funding, unicorns and more than 60 % of India’s data‑center capacity. New state policies offer plug‑and‑play tech parks, single‑window clearances and rapid land allotments, while AI innovation parks and cybersecurity centres aim to secure financial networks and enable global scalability.

💡 Mumbai’s push to merge its traditional banking strength with cutting‑edge tech could reshape India’s fintech landscape and attract worldwide investment.

theshillongtimes.com · Sep 7

India-born man launches campaign for Nepal floods

An India‑born tech entrepreneur based in the United States has opened a stablecoin‑driven fundraising effort for victims of recent floods in Nepal. The initiative, announced in Kathmandu on September 6, will accept global donations in stablecoins via the website NepalRelief.org. Collected crypto assets will be converted into Nepali rupees and transferred to the Prime Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund, the government’s primary channel for flood assistance. The campaign is led by Sandeep Nailwal, co‑founder of Polygon Labs, a leading blockchain infrastructure platform that underpins many decentralized finance applications. Nailwal, who hails from Uttarakhand’s Kumaon region, hopes the digital‑currency model will speed delivery of aid and broaden the donor base beyond traditional fiat channels.

💡 Leveraging stablecoins could bypass banking bottlenecks, delivering relief money to flood victims faster than conventional methods.

ng.shotoe.com · Sep 7

I am not Bitcoin inventor, says man named in HBO film

A new HBO documentary, Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery, claims Canadian crypto expert Peter Todd is the person behind the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto, the creator of Bitcoin. The film’s maker, Cullen Hoback, presents evidence including a forum post that appears to continue a Satoshi thread and Todd’s past claim of destroying a large number of coins. Todd, a well‑known Bitcoin developer, publicly rejected the allegation as “ludicrous” on X, stating he was occupied with school at the time of the alleged activity. The documentary’s release has spurred public interest, with over $44 million wagered on Polymarket predicting the film’s identification. Satoshi’s untouched stash, worth roughly $69 billion, would rank the inventor among the world’s wealthiest individuals.

💡 The film’s bold accusation revives intense speculation about Bitcoin’s origin, testing the credibility of documentary‑driven investigative claims in the crypto sphere.

gizmodo.com · Sep 7

AMC CEO Furious at Robinhood for Tokenizing Stock Without Permission

AMC Entertainment CEO Adam Aron has publicly condemned Robinhood for tokenizing AMC stock without the company’s consent, labeling the practice “contemptible” and “outrageous.” Aron argues that Robinhood’s Jersey-based debt securities, which mimic AMC shares, violate U.S. securities laws and threaten AMC’s capital raising capabilities and shareholder rights. He described the resulting market as a “quasi-fake market” undermining public confidence. Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev challenged Aron’s concerns, while Chief Legal Officer Dan Gallagher asserted compliance with regulations and refused to halt trading. AMC has engaged outside counsel to investigate potential legal actions. This dispute highlights a growing conflict between traditional publicly traded companies and fintech platforms expanding into blockchain-based financial products. Robinhood maintains its tokens offer economic exposure without granting voting rights or legal ownership in the underlying companies, distinguishing them from actual equity shares.

💡 This clash defines the regulatory boundary between traditional equity markets and decentralized finance, challenging how companies control their digital representation. It forces a critical examination of whether offshore-issued debt tokens can legally mimic domestic stocks without explicit corporate authorization.