GlossaryAdvanced
Dusting Attack
Sending tiny amounts of crypto to many addresses to try to de-anonymize their owners.
A dusting attack sends small, near-negligible amounts of crypto ("dust") to a large number of wallet addresses, then attempts to analyze subsequent transactions involving that dust to link addresses to real-world identities.
Simply receiving dust doesn't directly compromise a wallet, but moving or combining it with other funds can potentially help an attacker's analysis.
Examples
- Receiving an unexpected tiny, unsolicited crypto deposit can be a sign of a dusting attack.
- Avoiding spending dust alongside your normal funds is a common precaution against dusting analysis.