WeChat friends help crypto thieves, Korbit denies hack: Asia Express

WeChat hackers use victims’ friends to steal crypto. South Korean exchange Korbit denies hack after 12-hour maintenance.

Chinese social media influencers have been targeted in a wave of WeChat account hacks, with attackers suspected of exploiting the messaging platforms security feature meant to keep them out.

Since April, multiple victims claim hackers gained access to their WeChat login credentials and then triggered the platforms friend verification system. This security feature, one of three login options on WeChat, allows a users contacts to receive verification requests on their behalf when logging into a new device. Its intended as a backup when SMS or QR code authentication is unavailable.

Cos, co-founder of blockchain security firm SlowMist, broke down the method in a June 17 post on X. He noted that attackers appear to target contacts with whom victims had minimal interaction, increasing the chances those users might mindlessly approve the request and forward the code.

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