> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.leather.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.leather.io/learn/what-is-crypto-dust-attack.md).

# What is a Crypto Dust Attack and How Can You Prevent it?

Dust is an amount of bitcoin too small to spend economically. A dusting attack sends dust to trace who owns an address. How to protect yourself.

**Dust** is an amount of bitcoin so small that spending it costs more in fees than it is worth. It can be left over from earlier transactions or sent to you by someone else.

## Dusting attacks

In a dusting attack, someone sends small amounts to many addresses. If a recipient later spends the dust together with other coins, the transaction links those addresses on chain. The sender can then use analysis to work out which addresses belong to one person, and target them with phishing or scams.

The dust itself does no harm. The risk comes from spending it together with your other coins, and from contacting or trusting whoever sent it.

Dusting is not always hostile. Analytics firms and developers also send dust for research or tests.

## Protect yourself

* Leave unknown small amounts unspent.
* Do not interact with tokens, links or apps that arrive with unexpected deposits.
* Use separate accounts for activities you want to keep apart. See [Account Privacy](/wallet-and-security/account-privacy.md).

## Dust in Leather

Leather leaves out coins that would cost more to spend than they are worth at the current fee rate. It lists them as "Uneconomical" under "All balances" in Settings. See [Why isn't all my Bitcoin balance available or spendable?](/balances/why-isnt-all-my-bitcoin-balance-available-spendable.md).

Each Leather account uses one Native SegWit and one Taproot address. It does not move to a new address after each transaction.