Governance Token Theft

Definition ∞ Governance token theft involves the unauthorized acquisition of tokens that grant voting rights and control over a decentralized autonomous organization. This malicious act can allow attackers to manipulate protocol parameters, redirect treasury funds, or alter the rules of the system. Such an event compromises the integrity and security of a decentralized governance model. It represents a severe threat to the autonomy of blockchain projects.
Context ∞ Instances of governance token theft pose substantial risks to the decentralized finance ecosystem and are frequently reported in crypto security news. These incidents highlight the importance of robust security measures for smart contracts and token distribution mechanisms. The recovery and prevention of such thefts remain central to maintaining trust in decentralized governance.