An X user managed to trick AI chatbot Grok into sending around $200,000 worth of crypto after exploiting its link with an automated trading bot.
The incident involved Grok and ‘Bankrbot’, two AI systems with wallet access, which were manipulated into executing a transaction on the Base network.
The attacker received 3 billion DRB tokens, valued at roughly $200,000 at the time, after sending a hidden instruction written in Morse code that bypassed safeguards and triggered the transfer.
The exploit was carried out by an X user operating under the handle ‘@Ilhamrfliansyh’, who later deleted their account after completing the transaction.
Morse code prompt triggers $200K transfer
According to details shared around the incident, the attacker used a multi-step process to gain control over the transaction.
As explained by cryptopolitan, the user sent a Bankr Club Membership NFT to Grok’s wallet. This expanded the AI’s permissions within the Bankr system, allowing it to perform actions like transfers and swaps that were previously restricted.
Grok was then prompted on X to translate a Morse code message and pass it directly to Bankrbot. The decoded message instructed the bot to send 3 billion DRB tokens to a specific wallet address.
The translated message was then treated as a valid command and executed immediately, with the transaction completed on Base, transferring the full token amount to the attacker’s wallet.
Tokens sold immediately after exploit
Following the transfer, the attacker quickly sold the DRB tokens on the open market, causing short-term volatility in the token’s price.
Blockchain data later showed that funds linked to Grok’s wallet were returned and converted into other assets, including Ethereum and USDC.
