Binance says hackers used fake job interview, AI tool in US$6.3bil crypto heist
The crypto exchange detailed a hacking endeavour that began with a tampered coding tool advert in June and set in motion breaches that culminated in the theft of crypto on Oct 29.
Binance disclosed on Tuesday that hackers exploited a fraudulent job interview process and an internal AI tool to gain unauthorized access to the company's wallets, resulting in the theft of $6.3 billion worth of cryptocurrency. The attack, which the FBI has linked to a North Korean hacking group, began in June when an employee of the wallet developer team downloaded a tampered AI tool.
Despite Binance's prompt action to replace the device and change credentials, the breach was further facilitated by a second software engineer who, while interviewing for a legitimate role, inadvertently downloaded malicious code. On October 20, the hacker utilized the compromised computer along with an internal AI tool to take control of the wallet developer's system and another wallet developer's computer.
The malicious script was then activated on October 29, leading to the theft of the crypto. Binance has expressed regret over the incident, stating that it is increasing its investment in AI-enabled detection and working on establishing a security research fund.
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