The post Kraken Discovers North Korean Hacker Attempting Infiltration as US FinCEN Proposes Ban on Huione Group appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com.

Kraken uncovered a North Korean hacker posing as a job candidate, advancing through hiring to gather intel on infiltration tactics. The hacker used fake identities and suspicious technical setups, revealing ties to state-sponsored cybercrime. The US Financial Crimes Enforcement Network proposed a ban on Huione Group for facilitating North Korean cybercriminals in laundering illicit funds. Kraken’s discovery of a North Korean hacker during recruitment raises significant concerns about cybersecurity in the crypto industry. How a North Korean Hacker Tried to Infiltrate Kraken Kraken detailed the incident in a recent blog post on May 1. The hacker applied for an engineering role at the exchange, initially appearing as a legitimate candidate, allegedly named Steven Smith. However, several red flags emerged during the hiring process. “What started as a routine hiring process for an engineering role quickly turned into an intelligence gathering operation,” Kraken noted. This systematic approach allowed teams to learn more about the hacker’s tactics at every stage. The candidate used various names during interviews and seemed to switch voices, suggesting coaching. Their application was linked to email addresses associated with North Korean hackers. Additionally, an Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) investigation revealed the candidate’s ties to a network of fake identities. “This meant that our team had uncovered a hacking operation where one individual had established multiple identities to apply for roles in the crypto space and beyond,” the blog read. Evidence showed that these identities had previously been hired by numerous companies, with some flagged as foreign agents on the sanctions list. Technical inconsistencies in their setup, like using remote, colocated Mac desktops accessed via a VPN, indicated an infiltration attempt. This information underscored that the candidate was likely a state-sponsored hacker. In a final interview, Kraken’s Chief Security Officer, Nick Percoco, confirmed the company’s suspicions. The candidate’s inability to…

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Filed under: News - @ May 2, 2025 3:28 pm