Binance phishs its own staff monthly, India censors BitChat code: Asia Express

What the report says

Cointelegraph reported in its July 28 Asia Express roundup that Binance has been testing its workforce with simulated phishing attacks every month, part of an internal security program run by its red team. Chief security officer Jimmy Su said the exchange has used the exercises for four years to assess employee security habits, with staff who fail receiving remedial training and repeat failures potentially risking dismissal. The report framed the practice against the wider threat of social engineering in crypto security incidents.

The roundup also highlighted a dispute in India over access to code for BitChat, Jack Dorsey’s decentralized messaging app. According to Cointelegraph, India’s cybercrime agency ordered GitHub to block three BitChat repositories within three hours, citing concerns that the app could help users get around internet shutdowns, avoid surveillance or support illegal activity. The Internet Freedom Foundation criticized the order as unconstitutional and said it could harm free expression and open-source development. BitChat uses Bluetooth-based, encrypted device-to-device messaging rather than centralized servers or internet access.

Other regional developments included a sharp fall in South Korean crypto exchange activity. Cointelegraph said its review of CoinGecko data showed average daily volume across Upbit, Bithumb, Coinone, Korbit and Gopax dropped about 89% year over year in comparable July periods, from $2.82 billion to $305 million, while South Korea’s stock market strengthened.

The article also noted Thailand’s SEC filed a criminal complaint against Bitkub and two former directors over alleged disclosure issues tied to a 2021 cyberattack; the Bank of the Philippine Islands plans a stablecoin settlement pilot for overseas worker payments; and Coinbase reportedly aims to expand its Singapore staff to about 200 by the end of 2026.