Hackers behind $6.3bn Binance heist ‘used malware and bogus job interviews’

The Binance cryptocurrency exchange suffered a massive $6.3 billion heist, according to the company's latest update. The hackers employed a multi-stage operation, beginning with a malware infection in June, followed by a recruitment scam in September and culminating in a raid on "hot wallets" last week. North Korea, a frequent target of cyber-attacks, claimed responsibility, but their description of the accusations as "absurd rhetoric" has not quelled the investigation.

The FBI has also pointed fingers at North Korea, but the country's state news agency dismissed the claims as "absurd rhetoric" and a "grave political provocation." The hackers first infiltrated the exchange's infrastructure when a company engineer unknowingly downloaded malware. This breach allowed a fake project director to conduct a video interview, during which the engineer unknowingly downloaded additional malware.

The attackers then used an internal AI tool to gain control of the engineer's system and another wallet developer's computer, ultimately triggering the attack on 29 October. Despite the significant loss, Binance has frozen or intercepted $2.85 billion of the stolen funds. The FBI's attribution of North Korea as the perpetrator has sparked a diplomatic response from Kim Yo-jong, North Korea's influential sister, who dismissed the allegations as a "political provocation."