Binance has attributed a $6.3 billion crypto attack to North Korean hackers, according to reporting by Reuters. The exchange said fake job interviews formed part of the scheme, the BBC reported. Reuters described Pyongyang's hacking force as an army of world-class operators and the secret weapon behind the breach.
Binance published its initial findings and a response update on its own blog. Premium Times Nigeria reported that the exchange put the figure at $6.34 billion and said it is strengthening its artificial intelligence security in response. Elliptic, a blockchain analytics firm, examined how North Korea is laundering the stolen funds, which it placed at $6.4 billion. The outlets' figures differ slightly in rounding.
The reports, published on Friday, frame the incident as a state-linked operation rather than an ordinary criminal theft. Reuters' account points to the sophistication of North Korea's hacking units, while the BBC's coverage highlights the use of recruitment ruses as an entry point. Binance's own statement is the primary account of its findings and its planned response.
What to watch next: Binance's fuller investigation results and any further tracing of the laundered funds by analytics firms.
