Skynet Hack3D Report: A Close Look at Web3 Security in 2025

The Skynet Hack3D report highlights significant trends and challenges in Web3 security throughout 2025. As the crypto ecosystem expanded, so did the complexity of threats, culminating in a staggering increase in financial losses due to cyberattacks. This article delves into the data, emphasizing the evolution of attack methods, the rise of artificial intelligence in both offensive and defensive strategies, and the regulatory advancements shaping market conditions.

Key Takeaways

Total losses from cyberattacks in 2025 reached $3.35 billion, a 37% increase from 2024.
The Bybit exploit was a major outlier, responsible for $1.45 billion in losses, suggesting a shift in attacker behavior towards fewer, larger operations.
Phishing was the most common attack vector, with $722.9 million stolen.
Artificial intelligence significantly influenced both attack and defense tactics.
Regulatory improvements, such as the GENIUS Act in the U.S. and the EU’s MiCA framework, provided clearer market governance and enhanced security standards.

Skynet Hack3D Report Highlights Web3 Security in 2025

The Evolving Threat Landscape

As activities surged within the Web3 ecosystem, the accompanying threat landscape also grew more complex. Cyber adversaries adapted alongside industry advancements, honing their technical skills and social engineering techniques. This dynamic underscored a crucial reality in 2025: as innovation thrived, so did the inherent risks associated with it.

According to industry reports, total cyber losses in 2025 soared to $3.35 billion, up 37% from $2.45 billion in 2024. While this increase appears alarming, a deeper analysis reveals a more complex view. A single event—the Bybit exploit—accounted for about $1.45 billion of total losses. Excluding this incident indicates a year-over-year decline in overall stolen funds, highlighting a significant change in attacker strategies.

Rather than conducting numerous smaller attacks, cybercriminals increasingly focused their efforts on fewer, more catastrophic incidents. The Bybit breach illustrated the emergence of well-funded, closely coordinated adversaries capable of executing sophisticated, long-term attacks. This trend reflects improvements in basic security practices across many protocols, yet it also points to ongoing systemic risks, particularly concerning infrastructure and supply-chain vulnerabilities.

Attack Vectors and Trends

In 2025, phishing emerged as the leading threat vector. Excluding the Bybit breach, phishing-related incidents led to $722.9 million in stolen funds over 248 incidents, outpacing both code vulnerabilities and infrastructure attacks. Following closely were code-related exploits, which resulted in losses totaling $554.6 million across 240 incidents. Notably, almost half of these funds were ultimately frozen or returned, showcasing enhanced response coordination and intervention capabilities.

Artificial intelligence played a vital role in shaping the current threat landscape. Developers increasingly utilized AI-powered tools for generating test cases, improving efficiency, enhancing formal verification processes, and refining audit workflows. Meanwhile, attackers also harnessed this technology, crafting AI-generated phishing interfaces that closely resembled legitimate decentralized applications (dApps) and wallet notifications, along with multilingual campaigns that extended their reach into previously isolated communities.

Cybercriminals leveraged AI for reconnaissance, utilizing it to scrape on-chain data and private chat channels to pinpoint high-value targets. Impersonation attacks became more credible, involving fake founder accounts, synthetic voices, and deepfake videos that undermined conventional trust signals. Troublingly, exploit replication accelerated, with AI tools enabling attackers to mimic successful attack methods in mere hours or days.

Regulatory Developments

Throughout 2025, regulatory clarity significantly improved, contributing to a more stabilized ecosystem. In the U.S., the introduction of the GENIUS Act laid the groundwork for stablecoin regulation and transparency in digital assets, fostering a more collaborative environment for innovation. Concurrently, the European Union moved closer to fully implementing the MiCA framework, which raised standards for disclosures and consumer protections. Jurisdictions like Singapore and Hong Kong expanded their digital asset sandboxes, while Brazil and Colombia advanced towards regulated frameworks for commodity tokenization.

These significant developments enhanced governance structures and influenced how projects approached compliance, operational security, and system architecture. As regulatory frameworks continued to mature, establishing security became an essential requirement for accessing markets rather than an optional feature.

Major Incidents in 2025

One of the year's pivotal incidents took place in February when Bybit experienced the largest cryptocurrency theft in history. This attack, linked to the Lazarus Group, did not directly compromise Bybit’s internal systems. Instead, attackers infiltrated a developer’s machine at Safe{Wallet}, a third-party multi-signature wallet provider. Malicious code was covertly injected into the wallet interface, altering transaction details undetected, leading authorized signers to unknowingly approve fraudulent transfers. This incident underscored the escalating dangers tied to reliance on trusted tools and supply-chain dependencies.

Beyond major breaches like Bybit's, individual users faced increasing risks as well. AI-driven phishing, deepfake impersonation, and targeted social engineering attacks proliferated during the year. Many of these losses went unreported, particularly those stemming from off-chain scams, such as pig-butchering schemes and investment fraud, indicating that actual user losses are likely much greater than documented figures.

As 2026 approaches, the future of Web3 security is becoming more apparent. Cybercriminals are expected to refine their AI-powered impersonation and phishing tactics, while supply-chain attacks may advance in sophistication. Concurrently, improved regulation, real-time monitoring, and AI-assisted defenses provide a pathway toward mitigating preventable losses.

Milestones at CertiK in 2025

2025 represented a landmark year for CertiK, marked by expanded research initiatives, deeper integrations within the ecosystem, and ongoing leadership in Web3 security. Below are some of the key achievements that defined the year: