Ledger security statement questioned: Customer service claims additional hardware can be detected, contradicting official documentation

Former Mt. Gox CEO Mark Karpelès questioned Ledger Support's previous statements. Ledger customer service had claimed that the secure element could detect physical tampering, and if additional hardware attempted to intercept signals, it would not pass authenticity verification. Karpelès pointed out that Ledger's own documentation states that if the original secure element is intact, authenticity verification cannot detect unauthorized physical modifications such as spy implants, which directly contradicts the customer service claims.

Mark Karpelès stated that reports have shown that over $90 million has been stolen due to such "additional hardware" intercepting signals less than two months later, and that Ledger had published photos of spy implants for multiple models in a March 2026 academic article. Given the known threats, assuring users that authenticity verification can detect such modifications may constitute misleading advertising.