The recent events surrounding Atomicals Market (AM) have been a significant concern for the Atomicals community, especially following a severe security breach in two of its trading markets. This breach led to hacker attacks and considerable losses for users, stirring up discussions and demands for action within the community. Shep.eth, an early participant and active community member, took the initiative to address these issues directly with the AM team.
In a detailed letter to the community, shep.eth elaborated on the unfortunate security incidents at Atomicals’ trading markets. Although the details of the attacks were already widely discussed in the community and clarified by the Atomicals protocol team, shep.eth focused on the response and resolution efforts. Representing the interests of affected users and the community, shep.eth held discussions with the AM team to clarify the incident’s causes and explore potential compensation for those who suffered losses.
These discussions led to several significant developments. First, a change in leadership was announced, with @BRC20Coins, the founder of AM, stepping down from any management role. An anonymous individual, a friend of shep.eth, is set to take over as the new CEO. This transition is part of a broader effort to ensure that similar issues are prevented in the future. The new team also committed to compensating the total of 33,000 $ATOM lost in recent ‘zero-dollar purchase’ events, promising to complete this within a week after the leadership transition.
In addition to these measures, AM plans to overhaul its operational and development teams. This restructuring aims to enhance testing processes, ensuring asset safety, an improved user experience, and more effective communication. Moreover, AM intends to revisit its branding, including its logo and name, reflecting a new direction and commitment to security and trust.
Despite not being involved in AM’s management or decision-making, shep.eth will continue to contribute as a community member and a friend of the new CEO. He emphasized the community’s vital role in the protocol’s development and expressed hope for AM’s future under new leadership, focusing on rectifying past mistakes and providing safer, better services to the community and users.
Atomicals Protocol also issued a response, clarifying their position regarding the security issues. They refuted claims of negligence related to the use of SIGHASH_NONE signatures, explaining that they had warned AM against this practice due to its associated risks. The protocol stressed the importance of prioritizing user safety and trust, asserting their independence from Atomicals Market and other projects.