Dusting Attack
Also known as: Dust Attack, Privacy Probe, Blockchain Dusting
A privacy attack in which small amounts of cryptocurrency are sent to multiple wallets to analyze their transaction behavior.
A dusting attack is a blockchain privacy attack where an attacker sends tiny amounts of cryptocurrency—known as 'dust'—to multiple wallet addresses. These dust transactions are then tracked in subsequent transactions to analyze behavioral patterns, potentially linking wallet addresses and deanonymizing users. While dusting is most commonly associated with Bitcoin, it can occur on any public blockchain. Wallet providers and privacy tools now include features to detect and warn users about dusting attempts, and strategies like CoinJoin or avoiding spending dust can mitigate the risk.