Atom introduces a physical anti-tamper shield, but the launch comes as Ledger restricts reseller sales following the discovery of modified devices.

Ledger unveiled an $849 crypto device with new anti-tamper protections as it investigated coordinated thefts involving modified hardware wallets.

On Oct. 15, the French crypto wallet maker introduced Ledger Atom, which is a mobile device that combines everyday apps with hardware-protected crypto transactions. The company is accepting refundable $100 deposits for a Founders Edition priced at $849, with deliveries targeted for 2027.

The launch coincides with Ledger's investigation into an organized criminal operation that secretly modified genuine hardware wallets before returning them to reseller distribution channels. The attackers allegedly captured customers' recovery phrases and used them to drain cryptocurrency holdings in a coordinated operation.

In a separate security announcement, Ledger Chief Technology Officer Charles Guillemet said Atom includes an active protective shield designed to detect attempts to physically open, probe, or modify the device's secure hardware.

The technology addresses a vulnerability exposed by the recent attacks, where malicious components reportedly intercepted information displayed during wallet setup without compromising Ledger's security chips or operating system.

Guillemet explained that existing Ledger devices use cryptographic authentication to verify the integrity of their secure software. However, that process cannot detect an additional component secretly monitoring the screen.

Atom's protective shield is designed to alert its Secure Element when someone disturbs the protected hardware, potentially detecting manipulation before a compromised device reaches a customer.

The device also represents Ledger's attempt to expand beyond conventional hardware wallets into a broader consumer electronics market.

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