Coinbase, Circle, Kraken Join Crypto's New 'Neighborhood Watch' for Cyberthreats

Consensys, the Solana Foundation and Fireblocks are also among the baker's dozen founding members of Crypto ISAC.

AccessTimeIconMay 29, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. UTC
  • Coinbase, Kraken and Circle are among the inaugural members of a group formed to enhance cybersecurity in the cryptocurrency industry.
  • The information security and analysis center is the second such organization to be created for digital asset firms in as many months.
  • Pantera Capital Exec on How Venture Capital Is Investing in the Digital Economy
    06:30
    Pantera Capital Exec on How Venture Capital Is Investing in the Digital Economy
  • Most Executives Reportedly See Digital Assets as Strong Fiat Alternative in Next 5–10 Years
    04:37
    Most Executives Reportedly See Digital Assets as Strong Fiat Alternative in Next 5–10 Years
  • Key Takeaways From Elliptic’s Case Study of Ransomware Attacks
    07:08
    Key Takeaways From Elliptic’s Case Study of Ransomware Attacks
  • Crypto and Security: Tips to Prevent Hacks for Exchanges to Nations Embracing Bitcoin
    07:30
    Crypto and Security: Tips to Prevent Hacks for Exchanges to Nations Embracing Bitcoin
  • Crypto ISAC, an industry group formed earlier this month to guard against cyber threats and exploits, has revealed its founding member organizations. The roster includes several heavy hitters.

    Crypto exchanges Coinbase and Kraken are among the early participants in the information security and analysis center, the second such organization to be created for digital asset firms in as many months. (The first, SEAL-ISAC, launched in April.)

    Circle, issuer of USDC, the second-largest stablecoin, is also part of Crypto ISAC, the group announced Wednesday. So are the Solana Foundation, which stewards development of the fifth-largest cryptocurrency; Consensys, a key software development company in the Ethereum ecosystem; venture investor Ribbit Capital; Fireblocks, a crypto custody specialist; and Evertas, which writes insurance against crypto thefts and spearheaded the ISAC's formation.

    ISACs are common in mainstream industries such as financial services, defense and aviation. They share intelligence about cybersecurity vulnerabilities and incidents between businesses and governments and are often compared to neighborhood watch programs.

    Crypto ISAC aims to not only thwart cybercrime but build legitimacy and credibility with government and law enforcement for an industry long regarded as a lawless Wild West. About $1.7 billion was lost to hackers of crypto platforms in 2023, according to blockchain-sleuthing firm Chainalysis.

    Senior cybersecurity executives from Circle, Coinbase, Consensys, Fireblocks, and Solana will appear Wednesday at CoinDesk's Consensus 2024 event in Austin, Texas, to discuss their involvement in the ISAC. They will speak alongside Justine Bone, the information security maverick recently hired to be the organization's executive director, and Evertas founder and CEO Jared Gdanski.

    Crypto ISAC's members are:

    • Aleo
    • Arbitrum
    • Circle
    • Coinbase
    • Consensys
    • Evertas
    • Fireblocks
    • Hedera
    • Kraken
    • Red Balloon Security
    • Ribbit Capital
    • Solana Foundation
    • Trail of Bits

    Edited by Nick Baker.

    Disclosure

    Please note that our privacy policy, terms of use, cookies, and do not sell my personal information has been updated.

    CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. In November 2023, CoinDesk was acquired by the Bullish group, owner of Bullish, a regulated, digital assets exchange. The Bullish group is majority-owned by Block.one; both companies have interests in a variety of blockchain and digital asset businesses and significant holdings of digital assets, including bitcoin. CoinDesk operates as an independent subsidiary with an editorial committee to protect journalistic independence. CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive options in the Bullish group as part of their compensation.

    Marc Hochstein

    Marc Hochstein is the executive editor of Consensus, CoinDesk's flagship event. He holds BTC above CoinDesk's disclosure threshold of $1K and de minimis amounts of other digital assets (details on profile page).


    Read more about