MEXC API Automator was reported as malware disguised as a MEXC trading tool. Socket said the Chrome extension created a new API key, enabled withdrawal permission while hiding that permission in the interface, and sent the key and secret to an attacker-controlled Telegram bot. Anyone who installed it and accessed MEXC in that browser should treat their API credentials as exposed and check the account for unauthorized activity.
What was the MEXC API Automator extension?
Socket’s Threat Research Team described MEXC API Automator as a Chrome extension marketed as a trading-automation aid for MEXC. Instead of only automating trades with a key the user already had, the extension reportedly created a new API key on the user’s account and concealed a critical permission setting.
The Hacker News identified the extension by Chrome Web Store ID pppdfgkfdemgfknfnhpkibbkabhghhfh and said it was published under the developer alias jorjortan142. Those identifiers can help someone check an old installation or report, but they do not establish whether the extension is currently available.
How did the extension steal MEXC API credentials?
- It posed as a utility. The extension was presented as a way to automate MEXC trading, giving users a reason to install it.
- It created an API key. Socket reported that the extension programmatically generated a new key on MEXC rather than merely reading a pre-existing one.
- It enabled a dangerous permission and hid it. Withdrawal permission was turned on through the exchange backend but not shown in the user interface, according to Socket and MEXC’s attributed notice.
- It sent the credentials to the attacker. The extension exfiltrated the resulting API key and secret to a hardcoded Telegram bot controlled by the threat actor.
Because the permission was reportedly hidden, a user checking only the visible settings might not have seen that the key could withdraw funds. Socket security researcher Kirill Boychenko described the sequence to The Hacker News as the extension creating keys, enabling and concealing withdrawal permissions, and sending the credentials to the bot.
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What could an attacker do with a stolen key?
Socket and MEXC’s January 14, 2026 notice said the credentials could let an attacker execute transactions, including trades, withdrawals, and transfers of assets reachable through the MEXC account. That capability does not mean every infected account was accessed or that a withdrawal actually occurred; the cited reporting gives no confirmed victim count or loss total.
The incident also illustrates why an API key should be treated like a sensitive credential. A key with withdrawal permission may allow activity beyond trading, and a hidden setting makes visual inspection of the extension or key configuration an unreliable safeguard.
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What is known about the extension’s publication and listing?
| Date | Reported event | Source and qualification |
|---|---|---|
| September 1, 2025 | The extension was first published. | The Hacker News reported this publication date. |
| January 12, 2026 | Socket published its technical report. | Socket Threat Research Team. |
| January 13, 2026 | The extension was reported as still listed in the Chrome Web Store with 29 downloads. | The Hacker News’ point-in-time observation; 29 is a listing count, not a count of victims or infections. |
| January 14, 2026 | MEXC News carried a summary attributed to PANews and Socket. | MEXC’s notice described the hidden withdrawal permission and Telegram exfiltration. |
The cited reports do not confirm the extension’s Chrome Web Store status after those January 2026 observations. Do not infer from the 29-download figure how many people installed it, had credentials stolen, or lost funds.
How can you tell whether your MEXC API key may be exposed?
If you installed MEXC API Automator, assume any MEXC account used in that browser may be at risk, even if the extension appeared to work normally. The reported behavior involved creating a key and concealing its withdrawal permission, so the absence of a key you knowingly created is not reassuring by itself.
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- Look in MEXC’s API-key management area for keys you do not recognize, especially keys created while the extension was installed or used.
- Review account activity for unfamiliar orders, withdrawals, transfers, or other transactions. Check timestamps against the period when the extension was present.
- Do not rely on the extension’s visible controls or displayed permission settings to determine what the key could do; the reported malware hid the withdrawal permission in the interface.
- If you cannot establish that the account is clean, treat the key and any account session used in the affected browser as compromised.
What should you do if you installed the extension?
- Remove the extension. In Chrome, open More (the three-dot menu) > Extensions > Manage Extensions, locate MEXC API Automator, and choose Remove. If it is no longer listed, continue with the account steps; removal alone does not revoke credentials already sent out.
- Revoke exposed API access. From MEXC’s official site or app, open API-key management and delete unfamiliar keys. If you cannot confidently identify every key created or used during the exposure window, revoke the account’s API keys and recreate only the ones you still need, with the least permissions required.
- Check for unauthorized activity. Review orders, withdrawals, transfers, and other account records from the time of installation onward. If anything is unfamiliar, contact MEXC through its official support channels promptly and provide the relevant timestamps and transaction details.
- Secure account access. Change the MEXC password from a clean device, enable or reset multifactor authentication if needed, and review available session or login controls. Secure the email account used for MEXC as well, since it may be used to recover the exchange account.
- Check the browser and device. Remove other extensions you do not trust, update Chrome and the operating system, and run the security checks available on your device. Do not reinstall the extension or enter API secrets into an extension unless you have independently verified its publisher and purpose.
Deleting a key prevents future use of that key, but it cannot reverse transactions that already took place. If you find unauthorized withdrawals or transfers, preserve the records and report them to MEXC immediately.
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How can you reduce the risk from trading extensions?
- Install only extensions you genuinely need, and check the publisher, permissions, and independent reputation before granting access to exchange pages or credentials.
- Use API keys with the narrowest permissions required. Do not enable withdrawals for an automation tool unless there is a clear, necessary reason and you understand the consequences.
- Where MEXC’s current controls support it, use IP restrictions or other available limits for API access, and monitor for newly created keys and withdrawals.
- Keep exchange activity and API-key records under review. Browser-store presence or a low download count is not proof that an extension is safe.
