Definition ∞ Recipient address swap is a type of cyberattack where malicious software alters the intended destination wallet address during a cryptocurrency transaction. The attacker replaces the legitimate recipient’s address with their own address, often without the user’s immediate knowledge. This typically occurs through malware on the user’s device that monitors the clipboard for cryptocurrency addresses. The result is funds being sent to the attacker instead of the intended party.
Context ∞ The current state of recipient address swap attacks highlights the ongoing threat of client-side malware to cryptocurrency users. Even experienced users can fall victim if their device security is compromised. A critical future development involves enhancing wallet security features, promoting hardware wallet usage for transaction signing, and educating users on verifying recipient addresses multiple times before confirming any transfer to mitigate this deceptive attack vector.
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