On August 2021, XSURGE was exploited in a flash loan attack, resulting in approximately $5 in losses. That makes the XSURGE exploit the 465th largest DeFi incident out of 690 documented in our archive.
Attack Mechanics: How the XSURGE Flash Loan Attack Played Out
Exploit Class Applied to XSURGE
The XSURGE incident on August 17, 2021 is classified as a Flash Loan Attack. Attackers borrow huge amounts via uncollateralised single-transaction loans and manipulate protocol state before repaying in the same block. In the full archive, XSURGE is 1 of 27 documented flash loan attack incidents.
XSURGE in Context
At $5, the XSURGE exploit is a minor (<$1M) event compared to the largest same-class incident in our archive — PolterFinance (2024) at $7M.
Prior Flash Loan Attack Before XSURGE
The nearest flash loan attack incident before XSURGE was JulSwap, 82 days earlier on May 27, 2021 ($1.5M lost). The same exploit class surfaced again within the flash loan attack attack surface.
XSURGE Vulnerability Signature
The primary source categorises the XSURGE exploit specifically as “Flashloan Attack + Reentrancy”. This narrower label is entity-specific: it reflects how the XSURGE contract failed, rather than the broad flash loan attack pattern alone.
Impact & Recovery for XSURGE
XSURGE Loss Figure
The XSURGE exploit caused $5 in losses — a minor (<$1M) incident and the 16th largest of 37 documented in 2021.
Where XSURGE Sits Among Flash Loan Attack Attacks
Ranked by loss size, XSURGE is the 20th largest of 27 flash loan attack incidents documented. That puts the XSURGE loss below the class average of $577.3K.
Timeline Since the XSURGE Incident
The XSURGE exploit occurred 4.7 years ago (1,701 days). The contract, its fork-block, and the attack transaction remain on-chain and forensically reproducible.
Primary Reference for XSURGE
Public post-mortem / on-chain analysis for the XSURGE incident: view source.
FAQ
How much did XSURGE lose?
The XSURGE exploit in August 2021 resulted in $5 in losses — the 16th largest of 37 DeFi incidents that year.
When did the XSURGE hack happen?
The XSURGE exploit was recorded on August 17, 2021 — 1,701 days ago.
What type of exploit hit XSURGE?
The XSURGE incident is classified as a Flash Loan Attack. Attackers borrow huge amounts via uncollateralised single-transaction loans and manipulate protocol state before repaying in the same block.
How common is the Flash Loan Attack pattern seen at XSURGE?
Our archive contains 27 documented flash loan attack incidents. The XSURGE incident is one of them.
How does XSURGE compare to the largest Flash Loan Attack attack?
The largest flash loan attack incident in our archive is PolterFinance (2024) at $7M. The XSURGE loss is $5.
Describe the process of data authentication via digital signatures in IoT devices.
Devices sign data before sending to edge servers for aggregation and authentication.
Describe the significance of commitment schemes in the proposed system.
Commitment schemes secure the transaction process by binding parties to specific terms without revealing sensitive information.