Researcher Solves 'Steal My Bitcoin' Challenge via Server Exploit

A security researcher successfully solved an online "Steal My Bitcoin" security challenge by deploying a PHP vulnerability against the host infrastructure, according to a report from The Defiant ¹. The contest offered a total bounty of 0.02511679 $BTC ¹. At the time of writing, Bitcoin was trading near $80,124.

While the objective of the challenge was for contestants to extract the prize directly from the environment, an unexpected server configuration prevented the researcher from claiming the assets autonomously ¹. Upon auditing the machine post-exploit, the challenge operator discovered that the breached server actually stored the wrong wallet key ¹.

Server Misconfiguration Forces Manual Settlement

Because the compromised server contained an incorrect private key rather than the one controlling the designated challenge address, automated extraction failed despite the successful breach ¹. The operator confirmed the solution and subsequently executed a manual on-chain transfer to send the 0.02511679 BTC bounty to the researcher ¹.

The incident illustrates common operational hurdles in web3 bounty infrastructure, where underlying web server flaws—such as PHP script misconfigurations—often take precedence over on-chain cryptographic controls. Past industry incidents, such as when Electrum Patches Replace-By-Fee Vulnerability After Rogue Servers Steal Bitcoin, have shown how off-chain server environments regularly form the primary attack surface in cryptographic custody arrangements.