Volunteers Race to Protect Bitcoin Apps From AI-Powered Hackers

A group called the Bitcoin Red Team is hunting for security flaws before AI-armed attackers can exploit Bitcoin software.

Artificial intelligence is making hacking easier — and Bitcoin software is now a target. A group of volunteers called the Bitcoin Red Team has formed to find and fix security weaknesses before criminals can use them.

Here's the problem: AI tools now let people with almost no hacking skills carry out sophisticated attacks from start to finish. This has sparked a race between attackers and defenders.

The good news? According to Red Team member "Calle" (a developer who uses a nickname to stay anonymous), Bitcoin itself is secure. The real danger is the software built around it.

Wallets (apps or devices that store your Bitcoin)
Services and applications people use to send and receive Bitcoin
Other open-source software (code that anyone can view and improve for free)

As Calle put it: *"Although Bitcoin itself is secure, the software that we're using to transact with Bitcoin may not be."*

Key facts about the group:

Around 20 to 25 volunteers, many staying anonymous
They've already spent roughly $20,000 on scanning tools and services
They've scanned almost the entire major open-source Bitcoin ecosystem on their own
They share findings directly with affected developers so bugs get fixed

The team formed after a hack of the Coldcard hardware wallet and the release of powerful new Chinese AI models, like Kimi K3, which gave both hackers and defenders unprecedented capabilities.

Interestingly, the group relies heavily on Chinese AI models rather than American ones. That's because U.S. AI tools often block requests related to cybersecurity research, treating them as suspicious — even when the goal is defense. Calle said the difference in usefulness is "not even close."

The bottom line: Bitcoin's core system is solid, but the everyday apps people use to handle their money are vulnerable. This volunteer group is working around the clock to stay one step ahead of AI-powered attackers.

This is an AI-generated summary. Read the original article at: https://decrypt.co/376296/bitcoin-target-ai-red-team-group-fighting-back