Aethir Contains Bridge Exploit, Pledges User Compensation

Aethir, a decentralized GPU cloud infrastructure provider, has successfully contained an exploit targeting its bridge contracts connecting Ethereum to other blockchain networks. The company confirmed the attack was detected and halted on Friday, limiting the financial damage through rapid intervention. While blockchain analytics firm PeckShield initially estimated losses at $400,000, Aethir stated that prompt action—including the disconnection of compromised contracts and coordination with major exchanges—restricted the actual loss to under $90,000. The attack specifically targeted the AethirOFTAdapter smart contract, with funds being bridged from the BNB Chain to Tron. To mitigate further damage, Aethir collaborated with several major exchanges, including Binance, Upbit, Bithumb, and HTX, to blacklist the attacker's wallets. The company emphasized that the primary ATH supply on the Ethereum network remains fully intact and unaffected by the breach. This incident occurs amidst a challenging environment for decentralized finance (DeFi), with nearly $170 million stolen across various protocols in the first quarter of 2026. Despite the breach, Aethir remains fully operational. The platform, which reported $127.8 million in revenue for 2025, continues to manage a network of 440,000 GPU containers across 94 countries. A detailed post-mortem and a comprehensive compensation plan are expected to be released next week via the platform's Discord channel. The company is currently collaborating with authorities and cybersecurity firm ZeroShadow to trace the stolen funds and identify the attackers.