Report suggests North Korean cybercriminal disguised as 'Steven Smith' sought employment at a crypto exchange, allegedly captured by Kraken.
Cryptocurrency Platform Stings North Korean Hacker in Job Scam
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It's no secret that cybersecurity is a top priority for the crypto world, and a recent incident involving a top exchange platform proves just that. According to a report by CBS News, a North Korean hacker was caught trying to apply for a job at Kraken under a fake identity to steal money and sensitive information[1].
Nick Percoco, the chief security officer at Kraken, explained how the individual—posing as "Steven Smith"—was suspected of working for North Korea's dictator, Kim Jong Un. Instead of dismissing the application outright, Percoco wanted to confront the individual. He said, "We like to look the attackers right in the eyes. Some people might call it trolling as well. We call it security research[1]."
During an interview with Kraken, the man presented a screenshot of a driver's license with an address 300 miles away from his claimed location[1]. It was also revealed that he claimed to have a bachelor's degree in computer science from New York University, with over a decade of experience working as a software engineer for US firms like Cisco and Kindly Human[2].
Unsurprisingly, the United Nations estimates that North Korea earns between $250 million and $600 million annually by deceiving foreign firms into hiring its spies[2]. The hiring tactic seems to be quite common for North Korean state-backed hackers, who have been known for causing sizable damages, such as the $1.4 billion heist by the Lazarus Group from ByBit in February 2025[3].
So, the next time you see a job application for an IT position in the crypto space, be sure to take a good look. It might just be a North Korean spy trying to sneak in under the radar!
As always, stay tuned for more crypto updates! You can find us on Telegram, Facebook, and don't forget to subscribe to our email alerts to stay in the loop. Cheers!
[1] CBS News
[2] Fortune
[3] Reuters
[4] CoinDesk
[5] Kaspersky
- Kraken, a top cryptocurrency exchange platform, recently thwarted a job scam attempt by a North Korean hacker, revealing the importance of security in the crypto world.
- As revealed by Nick Percoco, the chief security officer at Kraken, the hacker was pretending to be "Steven Smith" and was suspected of working for North Korea's dictator, Kim Jong Un.
- In the interview with Kraken, the hacker presented a dubious driver's license with an address 300 miles away from his claimed location and claimed to have a bachelor's degree in computer science from NYU, with over a decade of experience in US tech firms.
- According to the United Nations, North Korea earns between $250 million and $600 million annually by deceiving foreign firms into hiring its spies, and such tactics are common among North Korean state-backed hackers.
- With the Lazarus Group causing sizable damages like the $1.4 billion heist from ByBit in February 2025, it's crucial to be vigilant when encountering job applications for IT positions in the crypto space.
