Hackers drain $6.3 billion from Binance wallets in 20-minute attack
On October 29, attackers siphoned roughly $6.3 billion in cryptocurrency from Binance wallets spanning at least ten blockchains, with most funds taken within a 20-minute window, according to tracing firm TRM Labs. Binance suspended deposits and withdrawals and says it has helped freeze about half the stolen crypto while investigating the breach.
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Multiple crypto-tracing firms, including Elliptic, say evidence points to North Korean hackers, a claim that if confirmed would make this theft nearly double the regime's total prior crypto thefts, according to Elliptic's cofounder Tom Robinson. The scale and speed of the attack could intensify scrutiny of exchange security practices and pressure regulators and blockchain firms to improve real-time fraud detection and fund-freezing capabilities.
- Roughly $6.3 billion was stolen from Binance wallets across at least ten blockchains.
- The bulk of the theft occurred within a 20-minute window on October 29, preceded by over 36 hours of preparation.
- Tracing firms have tentatively linked the attack to North Korean hackers, though attribution is not yet confirmed.
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Published there as: “The $6.3 Billion Binance Hack Was Pulled Off in Just 20 Minutes”
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