Crypto ‘SEAL‘ team Exposes Network of 60 North Korean Hackers Targeting the Industry
A newly released repository by the crypto security alliance ‘SEAL’ details information on 60 individuals believed to be north Korean IT worker impersonators used in ongoing hacking campaigns targeting the cryptocurrency space. The repository, shared on X (formerly Twitter) by SEAL, includes aliases, fake names, email addresses, websites, claimed citizenships, addresses, locations, and the firms that have reportedly hired these individuals.
the move comes as North Korean hacking groups, particularly the Lazarus Group, continue to pose a significant threat to the industry, responsible for some of the largest cryptocurrency heists to date – including the $1.4 billion Bybit hack. Throughout 2024, North Korean hackers have stolen over $1.34 billion in digital assets across 47 incidents, a 102% increase from the $660 million stolen in 2023, according to data from Chainalysis.
The ‘SEAL’ (Security Alliance) team, formed to combat these exploits and led by white hat hacker and Paradigm researcher Samczsun, has conducted over 900 hack-related investigations in the year sence its launch. the team’s efforts are increasingly critical as instances of infiltration rise. In June, four North Korean operatives successfully infiltrated multiple crypto firms as freelance developers, stealing a cumulative $900,000.
The repository also contains salary details,GitHub profiles,and other publicly available associations for each identified impersonator,aiming to help firms proactively identify and mitigate potential threats. SEAL operates under a Whitehat Safe Harbor Agreement, encouraging ethical security practices within the crypto community.
