Warning from Former Binance CEO on AI Deepfake Hacking

Former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao has issued a warning about artificial intelligence (AI) being utilized in new forms of deepfake hacking.

“Even a video call verification will soon be out of the window,” Zhao cautioned. He also advised his followers against installing software from unofficial links.

Earlier today, Mai Fujimoto, a notable Japanese cryptocurrency influencer, disclosed that her primary X account had been hacked. Fujimoto asserted that the hacking incident occurred while she was on a Zoom call with a deepfake version of her acquaintance. She was deceived into clicking an update link after having difficulty hearing the audio.

Unbeknownst to Fujimoto prior to the call, her acquaintance’s Telegram account had been compromised. “She sent me the link and instructed me to follow some steps to adjust the audio settings, and I believe that’s when the attack compromised my computer,” Fujimoto stated in a social media post on X.

As a result, Fujimoto’s Telegram and Metamask accounts were also breached.

This does not seem to be an isolated incident. On Thursday, it was reported that BlueNoroff, a malicious actor associated with North Korea, targeted an employee at a cryptocurrency foundation using the same tactic. The employee spent several weeks on Zoom calls with deepfaked AI-generated videos of their company’s executives. After encountering a microphone issue, the victim was prompted to download a malicious extension that installed a keylogger, a screen recorder, and an information stealer specialized in crypto assets.

Such threat actors primarily target workers in the crypto sector and other types of remote employees.