Kraken says North Korea-backed hacker posed as job applicant to infiltrate company

By: cryptosheadlines|2025/05/02 18:00:01
0
Share
copy
Airdrop Is Live CaryptosHeadlines Media Has Launched Its Native Token CHT. Airdrop Is Live For Everyone, Claim Instant 5000 CHT Tokens Worth Of $50 USDT. Join the Airdrop at the official website, CryptosHeadlinesToken.com A North Korea-backed hacker tried to get a job at Kraken to access the company’s systems, the exchange revealed Thursday.The applicant posed as an engineer and was caught mid-interview after Kraken’s security teams ran a full investigation into the person’s identity and digital trail. The company said the hiring process became an intelligence operation the moment red flags started to show.According to Kraken, the job application attempt came during a routine recruitment process. However, the situation turned serious when the candidate gave a name different from the one on their resume during the first call and then quickly corrected it. The person’s voice also shifted multiple times during the interview, leading recruiters to believe someone else might’ve been coaching them live.Kraken uses breach data and email tracing to expose the operationThe applicant had submitted an email that matched one previously flagged by crypto industry contacts who had warned that North Korea’s hacker units were actively applying to companies in the sector. After confirming the match, Kraken’s internal Red Team launched a deeper investigation using OSINT techniques to analyze breach records and data tied to the email account.That search uncovered a broader network of fake identities. The individual behind the application had created multiple aliases, some of which had already been hired at other companies. The team found work emails tied to these fake names.One of them belonged to someone on an international sanctions list as a known foreign agent. The fake resume was connected to a GitHub account with a breached email, and the submitted ID appeared altered. The candidate used remote colocated Mac desktops and routed all traffic through a VPN — a setup designed to hide their real location.Kraken said the ID likely came from a two-year-old identity theft case. At that point, the security team had enough evidence to consider the applicant part of a state-level infiltration campaign — not a solo scammer.Kraken runs a full sting operation through interview processInstead of cutting off communication, Kraken’s recruitment and security teams pushed forward with the process. The applicant was moved through various rounds, including infosec skill assessments and identity verifications.The final interview involved Kraken’s Chief Security Officer Nick Percoco, who met the candidate with a group of other staff members for what the company labeled a “chemistry interview.”During that call, Nick and his team inserted verification prompts into the conversation. They asked the applicant to confirm their location, show a government ID, and name local restaurants in the city they claimed to live in. The applicant couldn’t keep up.They hesitated, gave unclear answers, and failed basic questions about their own alleged hometown. The performance collapsed under pressure, revealing that the applicant had no real knowledge of the location they claimed or the identity they were using.At the end of the interview, Kraken said it was clear this wasn’t a real applicant. It was a foreign-backed imposter using a fake identity to try to gain insider access to the crypto company.Nick confirmed the incident in a public statement, saying: “Don’t trust, verify. This core crypto principle is more relevant than ever in the digital age. State-sponsored attacks aren’t just a crypto or U.S. corporate issue – they’re a global threat. Any individual or business handling value is a target, and resilience starts with operationally preparing to withstand these types of attacks.”Kraken said they were releasing the full details of the case to warn other crypto firms that traditional hiring pipelines are now being used as infiltration tools by foreign governments. The exchange also noted that North Korea-linked hackers had stolen over $650 million from crypto firms in 2024, with job application schemes becoming a new trend.Cryptopolitan Academy: Coming Soon – A New Way to Earn Passive Income with DeFi in 2025. Learn MoreSource link

-- Price

--

You may also like

Bitcoin Trading Guide 2026: Strategies for Experienced Traders

Learn spot and futures trading strategies, risk management tips, and a realistic BTC trade setup in this bitcoin trading guide. Read the full analysis on WEEX.
 

What Is XAUT and PAXG? Why Tokenized Gold Is Booming in 2026

Gold prices surged, corrected, and returned to the spotlight in 2026. Discover what's driving gold and silver markets, explore XAUT and PAXG, and see why tokenized gold is attracting traders worldwide.

Cryptocurrency CEXs are flocking to sell US stocks, and traditional brokerages are facing an "uninvited guest."

The major reshuffle has just begun.

Will the SpaceX IPO Hurt Bitcoin? Here's What Traders Are Watching

What is the SpaceX IPO, and how could it affect Bitcoin prices? As SpaceX prepares for its historic Nasdaq debut, crypto traders are watching for potential liquidity shifts and market volatility.

Foreign selling in the South Korean stock market accelerates, with cumulative net sales reportedly reaching $75 billion this year

On June 9, The Kobeissi Letter, citing Goldman Sachs data, reported that global investors are selling South Korean stocks at an unusually rapid pace. In the latest trading session, foreign investors sold about $801 million worth of Kospi constituent stocks again; total foreign outflows last week reached about $10 billion, and the market has been in net foreign selling on nearly every trading day over the past month. According to the data cited in the report, foreign investors have sold about $75 billion worth of South Korean stocks so far this year. Meanwhile, South Korean retail and institutional investors together recorded roughly $69 billion in net buying over the same period, suggesting that the market’s main buying support has come from domestic capital rather than returning overseas funds. The information currently disclosed still mainly comes from The Kobeissi Letter’s retelling and Goldman Sachs data summaries, while public details on the statistical period and the specific definition of “selling” remain relatively limited.

Fortune Warns of Strategy’s Financing Structure Risks as Bitcoin Premium Narrows

Fortune warned that Strategy’s Bitcoin treasury model faces growing financing risks as MSTR’s net asset premium narrows and preferred stock dividend pressure increases.

Contents

Popular coins

Latest Crypto News

Read more
iconiconiconiconiconiconicon
Customer Support:@weikecs
Business Cooperation:@weikecs
Quant Trading & MM:bd@weex.com
VIP Program:support@weex.com