Binance Co-Founder Yi He Clarifies $1 Million USDT Hack Blamed on User’s Compromised Device

• Binance co-founder Yi He recently addressed a major security breach where a user lost $1 million, attributing the issue to the user’s compromised device.
• The affected user, known as Nakamao, claimed that a malicious plug-in manipulative trades led to their substantial financial loss.
• After the breach was reported, Binance swiftly froze the compromised account within just over a minute.

Explore how user negligence rather than platform security led to a $1 million cryptocurrency loss and Binance’s rapid response to the breach.

Binance Co-Founder Denies Platform Fault in Security Breach

Amid rising concerns, Binance co-founder Yi He clarified that the $1 million loss resulting from a recent hack was due to the user’s compromised personal computer, not a flaw in Binance’s security systems. Nakamao, a crypto trader, suffered significant losses after manipulated trades were executed on his account.

User’s Device Compromise at the Core

Yi He underscored that the hack was facilitated through the user’s compromised device, noting that the unauthorised trades occurred after the hacker gained entry via a malicious plug-in. Stressing Binance’s strong security infrastructure, she said, “The breach occurred because the user’s computer was hacked; this compromise has no bearings on Binance’s security measures.”

Rapid Freeze: Binance’s Quick Response

Following the breach report, Binance’s customer support team promptly froze the affected account within one minute and 19 seconds from the initiating request. Despite this quick action, some leveraged trades had already taken place, exacerbating the user’s financial losses. Binance’s official statement acknowledged the hack but attributed it to third-party plug-in vulnerabilities, not platform weaknesses.

Disputed Claims and Allegations

Nakamao contended that Binance had previous knowledge of the malicious plug-in and failed to warn users. He asserted, “Binance knew about this plugin for a long time but did nothing to prevent it. This lack of action enabled the hacker to exploit user accounts.” Binance refuted these claims, maintaining that they did not have prior knowledge of this specific plug-in threat and acted immediately upon detection.

Emphasizing Secure Login Practices

In light of this incident, Yi He urged users to adopt rigorous security measures, particularly regarding their login practices and the use of active plug-ins. She highlighted that Binance cannot be held responsible for breaches resulting from user negligence. “Users must prioritize security over convenience. Binance cannot compensate for losses when compromised devices are involved,” she recommended.

Conclusion

This incident underscores the critical importance of maintaining robust cyber-security measures for personal devices used in cryptocurrency trading. Binance’s rapid response to freeze the compromised account reveals their commitment to user security, yet it also serves as a reminder of the ever-present risks associated with third-party vulnerabilities. Users should enforce stringent security protocols to safeguard their assets in the volatile world of cryptocurrency.