An Empirical Analysis of Blockchain Cybersecurity Incidents

Abstract

The establishment of Bitcoin in 2008 has introduced Blockchain technology to become the predominant new ways in digital transactions in many fields, such as energy, healthcare, and financial services. Although blockchain technology promised many advantages, it has suffered from various attacks with significant financial loses. We analyse 65 cybersecurity incidents that have been happening on the blockchain networks between 2011 and the first half-year of 2019. We categorize those incidents against the key cybersecurity vulnerabilities in blockchain technology, which showed an upward trend of an increasing number of attacks which dues to lack of security controls in the digital currency exchange and vulnerability in smart contracts. This result of this research highlights the needs in a major overhaul of the blockchain technology.