Binance reveals fake job interviews in $6.3bn crypto hack

Summarised from 4 outlets · Updated 3 Nov, 17:00 · Archive

Hackers stole $6.3bn from Binance using fake job interviews and social engineering to compromise engineers' computers.

Binance has revealed that hackers used an elaborate scheme involving fake job interviews and social engineering to steal $6.3bn in cryptocurrency from the world's largest crypto exchange. The company described the attack as a 'serious and highly sophisticated security incident' and apologised, saying 'this should not have happened'.

According to both outlets, one engineer was contacted through a legitimate job-hunting platform and invited to bogus interviews with fake company representatives who shared personal images and videos on social media accounts to appear legitimate. During a second interview, the engineer was instructed to download malicious code disguised as an 'assignment'. The New York Post reports the campaign began in June when another employee downloaded tampered software advertised as a popular AI coding tool, which Binance's security team detected and remedied, but hackers had already identified the employees involved.

Binance said the attackers then leveraged the compromised computers and an internal AI tool in October to gain control over additional engineers' laptops and execute the next stages of the attack. The breach forced Binance to suspend withdrawals globally, preventing customers from accessing their cryptocurrency until service was restored on Sunday. Customers subsequently withdrew billions of dollars worth of assets after the platform reopened.

How it is being reported

• Binance hackers used fake interviews and social media profiles in $6.3bn heistCrypto exchange’s internal investigation reveals the role of human error in the biggest theft in historyFinancial Times · 3 Nov, 17:00
• Binance co-CEO Richard Teng says hackers used fake job interviews, AI tool to steal $6.3 billion in cryptoBinance has replenished 98% of $6.34 billion in affected assets, according to a security report the crypto exchange issued Tuesday.CNBC · 3 Nov, 16:52
• Binance says North Korean hackers conducted fake job interviews to hack engineer’s laptop in $6.3B heistThe world’s largest crypto exchange revealed that the record-breaking cyberattack was a much more complex process than previously known – starting back in June and involving ads for tampered software, stolen credentials and fake interviews.New York Post · 3 Nov, 16:48
• Binance says fake job interviews used as part of $6.3bn crypto hackAn engineer was contacted through a legitimate job-hunting platform and invited to bogus job interviews with fake company representatives, Binance says.BBC News · 3 Nov, 16:19

In this story: Binance · North Korea

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log