The solution will ultimately work like traditional antivirus, but for the crypto ecosystem
Kerberus Cyber Security is expanding its reach in the digital safety space with the purchase of Pocket Universe, a well-known fraud prevention tool and browser extension. The acquisition, made in a seven-figure deal with Pocket Universe’s developer Refract, was confirmed by Kerberus in a statement. The move signals the company’s intention to create what it calls the first true “crypto antivirus,” aimed at protecting users from malware and other security threats.
Kerberus plans to integrate Pocket Universe’s technology into its existing Sentinel3 extension while broadening coverage to include all Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) chains as well as Solana. CEO and co-founder Alex Katz explained that the company sees malware as one of the biggest threats facing crypto users today. The goal is to provide protection similar to traditional antivirus software, where installing one tool can defend against multiple forms of attack.
We have big news: Pocket Universe is joining the @Kerberus family!
First, we want to thank you, our loyal users. We secured 200,000+ wallets and $1 billion+ in assets from Web3 scams. We're proud of what we built, and grateful to have kept users safe for over 3 years.
With… pic.twitter.com/K9SuKAY00l
— Pocket Universe 🟣 (@PocketUniverseZ) August 21, 2025
Pocket Universe’s founders, Justin Phu and Nishan Samarasinghe, will step back from daily operations but will continue offering support to the Kerberus team. As part of the deal, Ran Neuner, CEO of Onchain Capital and host of Crypto Banter, has joined as a strategic adviser to help distribute and promote the upcoming product. Neuner emphasized that widespread adoption of crypto depends on user trust and safety, and this acquisition strengthens Kerberus’ ability to address those issues.
Founded in 2023 under the name MintDefense, Kerberus was built after its founders witnessed friends lose significant sums to scams. The platform has since focused on real-time transaction scanning and wallet protections, claiming no losses for its user base. However, with malware attacks rising, the team concluded that an antivirus specifically for crypto was needed.
Development of the new product is expected to take several months, with an early version projected within four months of work. Still, experts warn users to remain cautious, as the term “crypto antivirus” could be misused by bad actors to launch scam products. Kerberus insists its software will never request access to private keys or user funds, underscoring privacy as a central design principle.
