Rabby Wallet: What to Do After a Phishing Attack—Recovery Steps for Compromised Extensions

A user realizes that a browser extension they believed was a legitimate wallet has drained their portfolio. Tokens vanished from their account, NFTs are gone, and the compromised address now shows a history of unauthorized transactions. The initial shock gives way to urgent questions: What exactly did the attacker access? Can anything be recovered? How do you distinguish the real application from a fake one after that kind of breach?

This scenario is not theoretical. Browser extension wallets, including those designed for Ethereum and EVM-compatible networks, remain a high-value target for phishing campaigns, malware distribution, and social engineering attacks. Even a wallet with strong technical architecture can fail if the user installs a counterfeit version or if legitimate credentials are captured through credential theft. Understanding how to respond—and how to avoid repeating the mistake—requires knowing exactly what each recovery step accomplishes, which information is already compromised, and how to restore access safely.

Immediate assessment: What has been compromised

The first decision point is determining which credentials and keys are no longer secret. If the extension was fake but you did not complete the wallet creation or import process, the damage may be limited to email addresses, passwords, or recovery phrase fragments displayed on phishing pages. If you imported an existing recovery phrase or private key into the malicious extension, the attacker has everything needed to move funds on every network that address controls.

A Rabby Wallet and other non-custodial Web3 wallets store private keys locally, encrypted with a password you set during setup. A phishing extension can intercept that password as you enter it, capture the unencrypted key during the import process, or display a fake password prompt to steal the secret directly. The attacker may also have obtained your recovery phrase if you were asked to enter it during account restoration or migration.

The practical assessment involves three questions. First, did you generate a new wallet in the fake extension, or did you import an existing address? Second, did you enter a password, recovery phrase, or private key? Third, did you approve any transactions, sign messages, or connect the wallet to a decentralized application? Each answer changes the scope of what an attacker controls.

If you generated a new wallet and never imported an existing address, the compromised extension has the new private keys but not your original funds. If you imported an existing address, the attacker has access to move any funds held at that address on Ethereum, Polygon, Arbitrum, Avalanche, and all other EVM-compatible networks. If you signed transactions or messages without authorization, the attacker may also have smart contract approvals that let them spend approved tokens, even if they do not yet hold large balances in your account.

Emergency fund transfers: Moving assets off the compromised address

The goal of an emergency transfer is to move all valuable assets to a new address before the attacker empties the account. This requires speed, but also verification that you are using a legitimate wallet to do so. If the fake extension is still installed, you must not use it. If you are installing a new wallet, you must confirm it is genuine.

Use a different device if possible. A phone or tablet that was never exposed to the phishing campaign carries lower risk than the compromised computer. If you must use the same device, open a private or incognito browser window to reduce the chance of cache poisoning or malicious browser state interfering with the new installation.

Transfer assets in order of priority: stablecoins and major tokens first, followed by less liquid or smaller holdings, then NFTs if time permits. Each transfer requires a blockchain fee paid in the chain’s native currency. On Ethereum, a typical transfer might cost $5 to $50 depending on network congestion. On cheaper chains like Polygon or Arbitrum, gas fees may be under $1. If the compromised address contains only dust or tokens worth less than the transfer fee, do not attempt to recover every tiny balance.

Use a hardware wallet or a newly created private wallet if you have one available. If you are creating a new software wallet from scratch, write down the recovery phrase on paper before connecting to any network, then import that phrase into the legitimate rabby wallet or another trusted application. Do not store the recovery phrase on a computer, phone, or cloud service. Do not send it to anyone, including support staff or recovery services.

Verifying the legitimate Rabby Wallet extension

After moving funds, the next step is reinstalling a genuine wallet. Rabby Wallet is available as a browser extension for Chrome, Brave, Edge, and Opera, as well as a mobile app for iOS and Android. The official sources are critical because phishing campaigns distribute fake versions through search results, email, and direct links that closely mimic official sites.

For browser extension installation, go directly to the official Chrome Web Store, Brave Web Store, Microsoft Edge Add-ons, or Opera Add-ons page. Do not rely on search results or links from other websites. The official Rabby extension is published by DeBank, the developer organization. The listing should clearly state “Non-custodial wallet for Ethereum and EVM compatible networks” and display the orange Rabby logo. Examine the number of reviews, average rating, and developer name before clicking Install.

Check the extension ID after installation. Each browser extension has a unique identifier visible in the browser’s extension settings. For Rabby Wallet, you can verify this ID matches the official listing on the respective app store. If the extension permissions request access to unusual sites, file systems, or processes, pause installation and verify the source again. A legitimate Rabby Wallet browser extension should only request access to websites and the ability to display notifications.

Mobile installation is similarly straightforward: download directly from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, not from third-party app stores or APK distribution sites. Confirm the developer is listed as DeBank. If your device allows installation from unknown sources, disable that setting and only install from official app stores.

Restoring access without re-exposing your recovery phrase

Once you have installed the legitimate Rabby Wallet extension, you will import your recovery phrase or create a new wallet. If you are recovering an existing address, enter the recovery phrase into the genuine application. This is the highest-risk moment: ensure that no keystroke logger, malware, or phishing overlay can intercept the phrase as you type.

If you used the same compromised device, consider the following steps. Disconnect from the internet during recovery phrase entry if your device allows offline wallet creation. Some wallet applications let you download and run them without internet, then import the phrase in a completely offline state. Reconnect only after the wallet is fully set up and you have navigated to a legitimate blockchain explorer to confirm the wallet holds funds where you expect.

If you cannot work offline, use the incognito or private browser mode again to reduce the chance of cached malicious scripts interfering with the process. Type slowly and carefully. If the wallet application supports hardware wallet integration with Ledger, Trezor, or OneKey, use that method instead of entering your recovery phrase into software at all. A hardware wallet keeps the recovery phrase away from internet-connected devices entirely.

After importing the recovery phrase or connecting a hardware wallet, set a strong password. The password should be unique, at least 16 characters long, and stored in a password manager rather than in a document or browser autofill. This password is not the same as the recovery phrase; it encrypts your keys locally on your device, and the wallet cannot recover it if forgotten. Note that down securely before proceeding.

Checking for lingering transaction approvals

A compromised wallet may have granted smart contract approvals that remain active even after you move your funds. An attacker can use these approvals to spend tokens in a new wallet without needing to know your updated password or recovery phrase. Checking and revoking approvals is therefore an important cleanup step.

Visit the official Rabby Wallet interface once it is set up, or use a blockchain explorer like Etherscan for Ethereum or PolygonScan for Polygon. Search for your address and navigate to the token approvals or contract interactions section. You will see a list of contracts that have been granted permission to move your tokens. Any approval you do not recognize should be revoked.

To revoke an approval, open the contract interaction in Etherscan or another explorer, find the approve or setApprovalForAll function, and call it with a zero amount or false value. This requires a transaction that will cost gas fees but prevents the previously-authorized contract from accessing your tokens. If there are many approvals to revoke, group them if possible to save on gas costs.

This step is important even if you believe you moved all your valuable tokens. An attacker with active approvals can wait for you to deposit new funds, then spend them immediately. Revoking all unknown approvals closes that window.

Preventing the same mistake: Hardening against future phishing

The most effective protection is behavioral. Never paste or type a recovery phrase into any website, email, or file. Never accept messages asking you to “verify” your wallet by entering credentials. Never click links in emails or messages claiming to be from wallet providers; instead, open a fresh browser tab and navigate directly to the official domain. These habits prevent the vast majority of phishing attacks from succeeding.

For browser security, consider using multiple browser profiles or profiles within a browser. Keep one profile for Web3 activity only, with minimal extensions and no password autofill. Use a different profile for general browsing, and never mix the two. Disable JavaScript in your Web3 profile if it is compatible with your wallet, reducing the attack surface for injected malicious code.

Hardware wallet integration is a major upgrade. If you hold more than a few thousand dollars in digital assets, a hardware wallet like Ledger or Trezor makes phishing nearly impossible because your private keys never touch an internet-connected device. The hardware wallet signs transactions locally and returns only the signed data; an attacker cannot move funds even if they compromise your computer or the browser extension.

For address whitelisting, some Rabby Wallet configurations allow you to restrict which addresses can receive funds. If you primarily move assets between your own wallets or to a small number of known services, enable this feature. It prevents misdirected or malicious transactions from reaching unexpected destinations.

What to expect from official recovery support

If you cannot recover funds on your own, official support channels exist but with important limitations. DeBank and other wallet developers cannot undo blockchain transactions or recover stolen funds. They can help you verify the legitimacy of your wallet installation, explain recovery procedures, and clarify whether your account was compromised through the application itself or through credential theft elsewhere.

When contacting support, provide your public address (which is not secret) but never share your recovery phrase, private key, password, or any transaction password with anyone. Legitimate support staff will never ask for these secrets. If you receive a message claiming to be from official support asking for your recovery phrase, it is a phishing attack.

Support can also help you understand what information was exposed. If the phishing extension captured your recovery phrase, you will need to move all funds to a new address and treat the old one as permanently compromised. If only your password was stolen but the recovery phrase remains secret, you can change the password once you access the legitimate wallet. The distinction matters because one requires abandoning the compromised address entirely, while the other allows recovery.