Arkham, a blockchain analysis platform, has recently found itself in a troubling situation after it was discovered that the company had unintentionally leaked the private information of its customers. The issue stems from Arkham’s weblink referral program, which allows users to invite others onto the platform by sharing their unique referral URL.
At first glance, these URLs may appear to be a random sequence of characters. However, they are actually an easily decodable version of the user’s email address written in Base64. This means that anyone who has shared their Arkham link may have inadvertently put their anonymity, or at the very least, their email address, at risk.
The revelation of this privacy breach was brought to light by m4gicpotato, a privacy advocate and well-known figure within the crypto community. m4gicpotato, who has worked in the crypto space under various aliases since 2017, took to Twitter to share their findings, which quickly went viral. They emphatically stated, “ALL ARKHAM REFERRAL LINKS SHARED ON TWITTER IS DOXXING EVERYONE BECAUSE THE EMAIL IS IN THE REFERRAL URL.”
It was later revealed that another Twitter user, @MatsumotoWins, had already notified Arkham about this issue earlier this year, but the company did not take any measures to address it. The lack of action on Arkham’s part has caused further concern among its user base.
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Despite the growing uproar on social media and within the crypto community, Arkham has yet to release an official statement regarding the incident and how they plan to address the privacy concerns raised by their customers. This lack of transparency has only fueled the frustration and disappointment among those affected by the breach.
Coincidentally, this privacy breach came shortly after Arkham announced the launch of the Arkham Intel Exchange, which the company claims to be the world’s first on-chain “intelligence marketplace.” This platform is expected to create a new way for people to share and trade blockchain-related intelligence, providing a market and opportunity for on-chain researchers.
In a recent blog post, Arkham highlighted the increasing demand for on-chain analysis from various individuals, including traders, investors, journalists, researchers, and protocols. The company recognized the need for a platform where talented on-chain researchers can monetize their skills while meeting the growing demand for on-chain research in a scalable way.
The Intel Exchange tackles these challenges by connecting buyers and sellers of on-chain intelligence through a bounty mechanism. Users who require specific on-chain information can place bounties, which will be fulfilled by experienced blockchain researchers known as “bounty hunters.” These bounty hunters provide the requested intelligence in exchange for payment.
The Arkham Intel Exchange aims to create a thriving ecosystem for on-chain intelligence while providing a platform for researchers to monetize their expertise. However, this recent privacy breach has raised concerns about the company’s ability to protect the confidential information of its users.
Moving forward, it is crucial for Arkham to address the privacy concerns raised by its customers. The company must take swift and decisive action to rectify the situation and reassure its user base that their private information will be safeguarded. Transparency and accountability are paramount in rebuilding trust and maintaining the integrity of the platform.
In conclusion, Arkham’s inadvertent leak of customers’ private information through its referral program has caused significant uproar within the crypto community. The lack of action on Arkham’s part and their failure to address the issue promptly has only deepened the concerns among those affected. The launch of the Arkham Intel Exchange, while promising, has been overshadowed by the privacy breach. It is now crucial for Arkham to prioritize the security and privacy of its users, restore trust in their platform, and ensure that such incidents are prevented in the future.
