The $293M KelpDAO hack exploited RPC nodes and centralized verification, not smart contract bugs, signaling a major shift in how DeFi security risks are assessed.

Two April hacks netted North Korea-linked groups $600M from Drift Protocol and Kelp DAO. Experts say AI accelerated the attacks. Aave lost $9B in deposits in two days.

The $293M KelpDAO hack exploited RPC nodes and centralized verification, not smart contract bugs, signaling a major shift in how DeFi security risks are assessed.

KelpDAO’s $292M exploit rattled DeFi as Aave lost $11.6B in TVL and 31 out of 50 top protocols posted declines this month.