Cryptocurrency exchange Binance has denied reports of an alleged leak involving data on 335.9 million users, saying a preliminary review found no signs that its internal infrastructure or customer information had been compromised. The reported scale of the alleged database and the inclusion of sensitive customer information prompted the exchange to investigate the claims.

Cybersecurity specialists had drawn attention to a listing offering for sale a database allegedly linked to Binance. Responsibility for the alleged leak was attributed to the ShinyHunters hacking group.

According to the alleged attackers, the information covered users in about 170 countries and included email addresses, phone numbers, passwords, identity documents, transaction histories and private keys for cryptocurrency wallets. The authenticity of the published data samples has not been independently confirmed.

The sellers demanded $900,000 in bitcoin or Monero in exchange for keeping the information private.

Binance cites inconsistencies

Binance said its review of the available information identified several inconsistencies. The company said it does not store user passwords in plain text and does not hold the private keys to customers’ external wallets.

The alleged database also contained information on customers in jurisdictions where Binance no longer provides services. The exchange said the data may have been collected by malware from individual users’ devices, or that the listing may have been a scam from the outset.

Binance said it was continuing to investigate. As of publication, the exchange had found no evidence that its systems, customer credentials or internal infrastructure had been compromised.

Coinbase previously denied that its own infrastructure had been breached after reports of a leak affecting more than 70,000 users. The company nevertheless confirmed an incident at third-party analytics provider Amplitude that affected some customer contact details.

Source: Incrypted