Ledger Users' Data Compromised: How System Detection of Unusual Traffic Exposed Payment Processor Vulnerability

Ledger, a leading cryptocurrency hardware wallet provider, is facing another significant security incident involving unauthorized access to customer personal information through its third-party payment processor, Global-e. The breach highlights the ongoing challenge of protecting user data across interconnected e-commerce and financial systems in the crypto ecosystem.

The incident came to light when Global-e detected unusual traffic patterns within its cloud infrastructure and initiated immediate investigation protocols. The detection of suspicious activity allowed the company to identify that unauthorized parties had gained access to customer order data stored on Global-e’s systems. A notification from Global-e confirmed that some personal data—including customer names and contact information—were improperly accessed, with the information first surfaced by blockchain analyst ZachXBT on social media.

Unauthorized Access Through Payment Systems

The scope of this particular security compromise remains partially undisclosed, though Ledger confirmed in communications with media outlets that affected users were those who had made purchases through Ledger.com using Global-e as their merchant of record. Global-e’s investigation, conducted with independent forensic experts, determined the extent of the improper access and documented the nature of exposed data.

Importantly, the company clarified that payment card information was not involved in this incident, significantly limiting the immediate financial risk to affected customers. Global-e emphasized that it swiftly implemented additional security controls following the discovery and is working with Ledger to notify all impacted users with relevant guidance.

Ledger’s Platform Security Remains Intact

In response to the breach, Ledger stressed that this incident occurred entirely within Global-e’s infrastructure and did not compromise Ledger’s core platform, hardware, or software systems. The company reiterated that as a self-custodial wallet provider, neither Global-e nor any third party has access to users’ recovery phrases, blockchain balances, or cryptographic keys associated with digital assets.

“This was not a breach of Ledger’s platform, hardware or software systems, which remain secure,” Ledger stated. The distinction matters significantly for users, as it means their actual cryptocurrency holdings remain protected even though order-related information was exposed.

Industry-Wide Third-Party Risk Exposure

This incident is not isolated to Ledger—the unauthorized access to Global-e’s cloud systems affected multiple other brands and retailers using the payment processor’s services. This pattern underscores a broader vulnerability in the e-commerce ecosystem where payment processors serve as centralized repositories of customer data across numerous companies.

For context, Ledger has experienced previous security incidents through third-party channels. In 2020, a breach through e-commerce partner Shopify exposed information on approximately 270,000 Ledger customers. More recently, in 2023, Ledger suffered a significant hack that resulted in nearly $500,000 in losses affecting multiple decentralized finance applications, with the incident later traced to compromised internal access.

System Detection and Continuous Monitoring

The swift identification of this latest breach through system-level anomaly detection demonstrates the importance of continuous network monitoring and unusual traffic pattern recognition. Global-e’s ability to detect the unauthorized access relatively quickly limited the duration of exposure and enabled faster containment measures.

Ledger emphasized its commitment to working with industry partners to strengthen defenses against data theft and unauthorized access attempts. The company remains vigilant in its security posture while continuing operations, with all platform functionality secure for users seeking to manage their cryptocurrency holdings.