Bitfinex hacker discusses Binance theft: North Korean hackers target the weakest points Ilya Lichtenstein (@cipherstein), a hacker involved in the Bitfinex Bitcoin theft, stated in an interview with CNN on November 1st that, based on publicly available information, the Binance attack conforms to the typical methods of North Korean hackers who target vulnerabilities. He believes the attackers likely used phishing to trick employees into downloading malware, rather than directly infiltrating the heavily guarded exchange website. Regarding fund tracing, he stated that the initial 48 hours are particularly crucial. AI agents can accelerate fund transfers, but blockchain records are permanently retained and can still be traced years later. In 2016, Lichtenstein hacked Bitfinex and stole approximately 120,000 BTC. In 2023, he and his wife pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering, and in 2024, he was sentenced to five years in prison. He was released early in January 2026 and now claims to work as a white-hat hacker. Source: CNN