On November 2024, CoW was exploited in a access control, resulting in approximately $59K in losses. That makes the CoW exploit the 258th largest DeFi incident out of 690 documented in our archive.
Attack Mechanics: How the CoW Access Control Played Out
Exploit Class Applied to CoW
The CoW incident on November 7, 2024 is classified as a Access Control. A privileged function lacks a proper authorisation check, letting an unauthorised caller execute it. In the full archive, CoW is 1 of 77 documented access control incidents.
CoW in Context
At $59K, the CoW exploit is a minor (<$1M) event compared to the largest same-class incident in our archive — Corkprotocol (2025) at $12M.
Prior Access Control Before CoW
The nearest access control incident before CoW was Erc20transfer, 16 days earlier on October 22, 2024 ($14.8K lost). The same exploit class surfaced again within the access control attack surface.
Impact & Recovery for CoW
CoW Loss Figure
The CoW exploit caused $59,000 in losses — a minor (<$1M) incident and the 72nd largest of 188 documented in 2024.
Where CoW Sits Among Access Control Attacks
Ranked by loss size, CoW is the 29th largest of 77 access control incidents documented. That puts the CoW loss below the class average of $636K.
Timeline Since the CoW Incident
The CoW exploit occurred 1.4 years ago (523 days). The contract, its fork-block, and the attack transaction remain on-chain and forensically reproducible.
Primary Reference for CoW
Public post-mortem / on-chain analysis for the CoW incident: view source.
FAQ
How much did CoW lose?
The CoW exploit in November 2024 resulted in $59,000 in losses — the 72nd largest of 188 DeFi incidents that year.
When did the CoW hack happen?
The CoW exploit was recorded on November 7, 2024 — 523 days ago.
What type of exploit hit CoW?
The CoW incident is classified as a Access Control. A privileged function lacks a proper authorisation check, letting an unauthorised caller execute it.
How common is the Access Control pattern seen at CoW?
Our archive contains 77 documented access control incidents. The CoW incident is one of them.
How does CoW compare to the largest Access Control attack?
The largest access control incident in our archive is Corkprotocol (2025) at $12M. The CoW loss is $59K.
What is the significance of the 'Lachesis' consensus algorithm in Fantom's performance?
Lachesis enables faster consensus without the energy-intensive processes typical of PoW or round-based PoS schemes.
How does the study contribute to the understanding of cryptocurrency market risks?
By identifying the best-fitting distributions, the study aids in better understanding and modeling the market risks associated with different cryptocurrencies.