Key Takeaways
- Lazarus, a North Korean hacker group, targets the crypto industry on LinkedIn by posing as job-seeking blockchain developers to launch malware attacks;
- Lazarus is known for orchestrating major crypto heists, including the $615 million Ronin Bridge hack;
- The group allegedly launders stolen funds back to North Korea to fund military operations.
The North Korean hacker group Lazarus is now targeting the crypto industry through LinkedIn.
A blockchain security analyst from SlowMist has discovered that these hackers pose as job-seeking blockchain developers to conduct malware attacks.
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These "blockchain developers" engage with potential employers and provide access to their repositories, supposedly to showcase their coding skills.
However, the code snippets they provide contain malicious software that steals confidential information and assets.
Since its emergence in 2009, Lazarus has been known for orchestrating some of the most significant heists in crypto history, including the $615 million Ronin Bridge hack in 2022.
The group often uses crypto mixing services to send stolen funds back to North Korea, allegedly to support military operations.
Despite the inherent challenges of blockchain's decentralized nature, there has previously been some success in stopping these transactions. Crypto exchanges like Huobi and Binance, for example, managed to freeze over $1.4 million in assets linked to Lazarus in early 2023.
Nonetheless, Lazarus' strategy highlights the evolving tactics of cybercriminals and reminds us of the need for increased security measures.
