Key Takeaways

• A dark web listing recently claimed to offer “panel access” to Kraken’s internal customer support dashboard and KYC documentation.

• Kraken’s Chief Security Officer, Nick Percoco, has officially debunked the claims, stating the forum post is illegitimate and intended to mislead users.

• Security experts warn that even “fake” listings are often used as bait for future social engineering or phishing campaigns against crypto users.

Kraken CSO Debunks Fraudulent Dark Web Listing

Kraken, one of the world’s largest and most secure cryptocurrency exchanges, has moved quickly to silence rumors of a significant data breach. Concerns arose after a monitoring service flagged a post on a Russian-language dark web forum—likely Exploit or RAMP—advertising internal “panel access” to Kraken’s customer support tools.

A seller going by the name “ransomcharger” is reportedly shopping around a haul of stolen personal data. It’s not just names and emails, either; we’re talking about highly sensitive “know-your-customer” (KYC) selfies, scans of government IDs, and private support logs. It’s a nightmare scenario for anyone whose identity is now sitting in this hacker’s hands.

After digging into the matter internally and from other sources, Kraken’s security chief, Nick Percoco, purportedly cleared the air, and that the listing was nothing more than a well-staged fake. Investigation claims thoroughly and determined that the forum post is not legitimate.

Noting that the advertisement appeared to be an attempt to mislead other forum users, a practice often referred to as “ripping” within criminal circles, where scammers try to defraud other criminals with non-functional or non-existent credentials.

The Danger of Social Engineering and “Ripping”

The incident reveals the complex nature of dark web economies, where misinformation is as common as actual theft. Dark web monitoring services often encounter sellers who “fabricate” high-profile listings to build a reputation or to bait law enforcement and other hackers into paying a negotiation fee.

To get the ball rolling, the seller used a $1 placeholder fee, which basically means they were looking for a private deal behind the scenes. Kraken’s security team was quick to clear the air, too—they confirmed that their systems remained secure, with zero signs of a breach into internal tools like Salesforce or Zendesk.

Even if this specific threat was a dud, don’t let your guard down—social engineering is still the go-to move for hackers. These scammers love to claim they have “backdoor access” just to scare you into a phishing trap, usually by sending fake support tickets asking you to “verify” your account. The good news? Kraken is still one of the toughest nuts to crack. They recently shut down a massive attempt by North Korean state hackers to sneak into their engineering staff. Just remember the golden rule: only use the official site, and if “support” reaches out to you first, it’s a scam.

Final Thoughts

It turns out the Kraken “leak” was basically just dark web drama meant to stir the pot. While the exchange’s security is actually solid, the whole mess is a great wake-up call. Don’t fall for the hype—always double-check what you’re hearing by looking at Kraken’s official announcements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Was Kraken actually hacked in 2026?
No. Kraken investigated the dark web claims and found that the listing for customer data was fraudulent and illegitimate.

What is “panel access” on the dark web?
It refers to compromised login credentials for internal company software, like support dashboards or databases.

How can I protect my Kraken account?
Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) via an app or hardware key and never share your login details with anyone claiming to be support.