Aerodrome, the largest decentralized exchange (DEX) on the Ethereum Layer 2 network Base, reported a suspected front-end compromise on Saturday, November 22. In the early hours of the weekend, the project disclosed that it is investigating an attack and asked users to avoid their centralized domains.
On Saturday, Aerodrome took to the social media platform X to report its ongoing investigation of a DNS hijack of its centralized domains. While assuring users that all smart contracts remain secure, the project told users to access the DEX through its decentralized mirror.
For context, a DNS hijack allows an attacker or bad actor to manipulate the Domain Name System (DNS) in order to redirect users from a legitimate website to a malicious one. In essence, this compromise redirected users of the Base-native Aerodrome to a fraudulent website on Wednesday.
It appears that the problem with the decentralized exchange might have stemmed from its domain provider. Earlier in the day, Aerodrome went on the X platform to inform Web3 domain provider My.box that its infrastructure had likely been compromised and to reach out to them.
Source: @AerodromeFi on X
Base-domiciled Aerodrome was not the only decentralized exchange affected by this DNS hijack, as its sister protocol Velodrome appears to be facing a similar issue. Velodrome, the largest decentralized exchange on Optimism, also reported that it is investigating a similar front-end compromise.
Interestingly, this latest DNS hijack comes roughly two years after a similar attack affected the ability of users to access both decentralized exchanges in November 2023. Blockchain detective ZachXBT, at the time, estimated the loss from the 2023 attack at about $100,000.
According to data from DefiLlama, about $399.17 million in value is locked on the Aerodrome, reflecting an almost 4% decline since the DNS hijack. Meanwhile, Velodrome’s TVL stands at about $49.74 million.
The timing of this DNS attack is rather interesting, especially as Dromos Labs, the development company behind the Base-native Aerodrome and Optimism-based Velodrome, recently disclosed plans to consolidate both protocols into a trading hub called “Aero.”
This development will also unify the protocols’ existing tokens into the single AERO token, Dromos further revealed. The Aero trading hub is expected to launch first on the Ethereum mainnet and Circle’s Arc blockchain in the second quarter of 2026.
The price of AERO on the daily timeframe | Source: AEROUSDT chart on TradingView
Featured image from Medium, chart from TradingView
Editorial Process for bitcoinist is centered on delivering thoroughly researched, accurate, and unbiased content. We uphold strict sourcing standards, and each page undergoes diligent review by our team of top technology experts and seasoned editors. This process ensures the integrity, relevance, and value of our content for our readers.
The New Brunswick government is reporting progress in its efforts to improve health care one…
We are excited to release our April 2026 Chart Pack, our visual quarterly designed to walk…
After decades of membership, the United Arab Emirates has decided to quit the oil producers’…
Authorities in the U.K. have said a stabbing attack on two Jewish men in north…
Real-world assets are moving on-chain. Here’s what advisors need to know. Tokenization is the process…
The US naval blockade of Iranian ports and the Strait of Hormuz, in place since…