The Hidden Risk of Public WiFi: How a Wallet Approval Wiped a Crypto Wallet

A crypto user, The Smart Ape, lost approximately $5,000 from a hot wallet after a series of mistakes, including using an open hotel WiFi network and approving a seemingly routine wallet request. Security firm Hacken analyzed the incident, noting that attackers combined network-level exploits like ARP spoofing (enabled by the open WiFi) with social engineering—the user discussed his crypto holdings in the hotel lobby, which helped the attacker identify the target. The key exploit involved injected code on a legitimate DeFi front end that tricked the user into signing an approval request, not a direct transfer. This approval abuse granted the attacker standing permissions, allowing them to drain the wallet days later after the victim left the hotel. Experts advise treating all public networks as hostile, using VPNs or mobile hotspots, segmenting funds, and rigorously reviewing all on-chain approvals.

(Source：Cointelegraph)