The post North Korean IT Workers Infiltrated European Solana-Based Projects: Google appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com.

North Korean cyber operatives have expanded their reach beyond U.S. firms to target blockchain startups in the EU and UK, posing as remote developers and leaving a trail of compromised data and extortion attempts. In a report released on Tuesday, Google’s Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG) revealed that IT workers linked to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) have scaled up operations outside the U.S., embedding themselves in crypto projects across the UK, Germany, Portugal, and Serbia. ❗️North Korean IT Workers: A Growing Threat! GTIG has seen increased DPRK IT worker ops in Europe, expanding beyond the U.S. They pose as remote workers, putting orgs at risk of espionage, data theft, and disruption. Learn more: https://t.co/JaHgl3sduj pic.twitter.com/7oOW1WguoJ — Google Cloud Security (@GoogleCloudSec) April 1, 2025 Compromised projects include blockchain marketplaces, AI web apps, and the development of Solana and Anchor/Rust smart contracts. One case involved building a Nodexa token hosting platform using Next.js and CosmosSDK, while others included a blockchain job marketplace built using the MERN stack and Solana, and the development of AI-enhanced blockchain tools using Electron and Tailwind CSS. “In response to heightened awareness of the threat within the United States, they’ve established a global ecosystem of fraudulent personas to enhance operational agility,” said GTIG adviser Jamie Collier in the report. Some workers operated under 12 fake identities at once, using degrees from Belgrade University, false residency documents from Slovakia, and guidance for navigating European job platforms, the report noted. Collier said that facilitators based in the UK and U.S. helped these actors bypass ID checks and receive payments via TransferWise, Payoneer, and crypto, effectively hiding the source of funds flowing back to the North Korean regime. A spokesperson for Wise told Decrypt that, “we take the responsibility of complying with all applicable sanctions laws very seriously,” adding…

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Filed under: News - @ April 2, 2025 1:27 pm