The SHOCKING Day My Crypto Was HACKED! | Supermoon Consensus 2023

In an engaging conversation at the Supermoon Camp during Consensus 2023, computer science student Andre Benedito shared his unique journey into the world of cryptocurrencies, the near protocol, and his shocking experience of a real-time hack attack on a DeFi platform he was using.

‍

‍

Early Experiences with Cryptocurrency

Currently in his third year at the University of Waterloo, Andre's crypto journey began when he read the Bitcoin white paper in 2016. His interest peaked during the early days of Bitcoin when it was trading around $500-$600. Intrigued by this burgeoning technology, Andre ventured into other cryptocurrencies like Ethereum and attempted to comprehend the complexities of Zcash and ZK proofs.

‍

Building with Blockchain

In an effort to understand the technology at a deeper level, Andre built a blockchain and a few pet projects. His affinity for the field eventually led him to join a crypto company named Mona. More recently, his crypto involvement shifted towards DeFi trading, thereby widening his exposure to the versatile landscape of cryptocurrency.

‍

The Journey to Near Protocol

A pivotal point in Andre's crypto journey came during the East Denver event, where he connected with Cameron Dennis from the Near/Bath team. After engaging in enlightening discussions about the Blockchain Operating System project and the prospects of a decentralized internet, Andre was inspired to build for the BOSS project. His endeavor paid off when he won in that hackathon category.

‍

Surviving a DeFi Hack

Andre's "crazy" crypto story revolved around his firsthand experience of a DeFi platform hack. As he was running liquidation strategies on Solana using Mango Markets, the platform suffered a hack. Coincidentally, Andre was online when the breach happened, and he heard the news firsthand on a discord call. Despite the chaos, all participants managed to have their bad debt repaid by the hackers, turning the terrifying ordeal into a unique real-time experience with a cyber hack.