On May 2023, Melo was exploited in a access control, resulting in approximately $90K in losses. That makes the Melo exploit the 224th largest DeFi incident out of 690 documented in our archive.
Attack Mechanics: How the Melo Access Control Played Out
Exploit Class Applied to Melo
The Melo incident on May 6, 2023 is classified as a Access Control. A privileged function lacks a proper authorisation check, letting an unauthorised caller execute it. In the full archive, Melo is 1 of 77 documented access control incidents.
Melo in Context
At $90K, the Melo exploit is a minor (<$1M) event compared to the largest same-class incident in our archive — Corkprotocol (2025) at $12M.
Prior Access Control Before Melo
The nearest access control incident before Melo was SafeMoon Hack, 39 days earlier on March 28, 2023 ($8.9M lost). The same exploit class surfaced again within the access control attack surface.
Impact & Recovery for Melo
Melo Loss Figure
The Melo exploit caused $90,000 in losses — a minor (<$1M) incident and the 87th largest of 214 documented in 2023.
Where Melo Sits Among Access Control Attacks
Ranked by loss size, Melo is the 25th largest of 77 access control incidents documented. That puts the Melo loss below the class average of $636K.
Timeline Since the Melo Incident
The Melo exploit occurred 2.9 years ago (1,074 days). The contract, its fork-block, and the attack transaction remain on-chain and forensically reproducible.
Primary Reference for Melo
Public post-mortem / on-chain analysis for the Melo incident: view source.
FAQ
How much did Melo lose?
The Melo exploit in May 2023 resulted in $90,000 in losses — the 87th largest of 214 DeFi incidents that year.
When did the Melo hack happen?
The Melo exploit was recorded on May 6, 2023 — 1,074 days ago.
What type of exploit hit Melo?
The Melo 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 Melo?
Our archive contains 77 documented access control incidents. The Melo incident is one of them.
How does Melo compare to the largest Access Control attack?
The largest access control incident in our archive is Corkprotocol (2025) at $12M. The Melo loss is $90K.
What implication does the study suggest for portfolio diversification with cryptocurrencies?
Due to their distinct statistical properties and behaviors, cryptocurrencies can offer unique diversification benefits in a financial portfolio.
What is the main objective of the proposed algorithm in the paper?
To optimize cryptocurrency trading strategies using a decomposition-based approach.