Reuters/Dado Ruvic | File illustration,2022
Binance said hackers used a bogus job interview to compromise a computer and use an internal artificial intelligence tool to gain control over the company’s wallets and drain $6.3 billion, in what could be the largest-ever financial heist.
Binance on Tuesday said that as a result of the hack, it is increasing investment in AI-enabled detection and is working on establishing a security research fund and targeted initiatives with leading AI companies.
How the attack unfolded
JBizNews Desk update, November 3, 2026: The original Jerusalem Post flash above is unchanged. The additional reporting below is from Reuters, published by NBC News and CNA.
The attack developed over several months rather than a single intrusion. In its initial account, Binance described a sequence beginning with a tampered software download in June and ending with the theft on October 29, according to Reuters reporting published by NBC News.
A member of the exchange’s wallet development team downloaded an AI tool that had been altered by the attackers, Binance said. The exchange detected the problem, replaced the employee’s device and changed credentials. But information about the employee’s role and other members of the wallet team had already been exposed, according to the account.
A second software engineer looking for a new job was targeted in September. The engineer took part in interviews for what appeared to be a legitimate position, including a virtual meeting with someone presented as the chief executive of a fictitious company. The engineer then downloaded a malicious code repository onto a work computer, Reuters reported.
On October 20, the attackers used that compromised computer together with an internal AI tool to gain access to the systems of two wallet developers, according to Binance’s account. On October 29, they used one developer’s computer and credentials stolen from the other to trigger a malicious script and carry out the theft.
The FBI has blamed a North Korean hacking group, while North Korea has rejected that claim, Reuters reported. Binance said it is repaying customers who lost funds in the attack.
In its report, the exchange apologized to users, partners and the wider industry. It said the attack should not have happened. The planned response includes greater investment in AI-enabled detection, a security research fund and initiatives with leading AI companies, according to the fuller Reuters account carried by CNA.
Read the original at The Jerusalem Post.
JBizNews Desk | New York
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