The Rise of Wrench Attacks and Crypto-related Violent Crime
In recent months, a disturbing trend has emerged: the physical targeting of individuals associated with cryptocurrency wealth. These so-called “wrench attacks” — named after the hypothetical scenario where an assailant uses a wrench to coerce someone into revealing their crypto keys — have escalated in both frequency and severity, and they’re happening all over the world.
Unlike cyberattacks, these assaults exploit the vulnerabilities of human behavior and physical security, bypassing even the most robust digital safeguards. Whether a street robbery, a burglary, or a kidnap, these offences share a distinct commonality: high levels of violence that are extremely traumatic for the victims to endure.
What is a wrench attack?
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