Binance hackers used fake job interviews and AI tool in $6.3B crypto theft

Binance reported that hackers stole $6.3 billion in cryptocurrency using a complex multi-stage attack involving fake job interviews and a compromised internal AI tool, according to BBC Technology.

The attack began in June when a developer downloaded malware from a tampered installer spread through a malicious Google search ad, as detailed by The Verge.

In September, another engineer was targeted through a legitimate job platform and invited to fake job interviews with fraudulent company representatives who shared social media profiles to build trust, Binance said.

During these interviews, the engineer was asked to download a fake assignment that was actually malware, which used sophisticated obfuscation techniques to evade detection and replaced legitimate development tools to create backdoor access.

Binance's security team detected the initial malware installation and replaced the affected device, but the second attack went undetected by endpoint security tools, allowing hackers to control internal systems and drain the exchange's wallets.

Binance described the incident as a "serious and highly sophisticated security incident" and apologized, acknowledging that it should not have happened.