Manta Network Co-Founder Targeted By Sophisticated North Korean Hackers

Manta Network co-founder Kenny Li recently disclosed an attempted hack on his Zoom account, which he attributes to the North Korean state-backed Lazarus Group. The attack was highly sophisticated, utilizing live recordings of familiar individuals to create a convincing facade. Li noted that the impersonated person's camera was active, but there was no sound, and a suspicious prompt to download a script file raised his suspicions. He immediately left the meeting and attempted to verify the impersonator's identity over a Telegram call, but the attacker erased all messages and blocked him shortly after.

Li managed to capture screenshots of his conversation with the attacker before the messages were deleted. He suggested moving the call to Google Meet, but the attacker refused and proceeded to erase all messages. Li believes the live shots used in the video call were taken from past recordings of real team members, rather than being AI-generated. He confirmed that the real person's accounts had been compromised by the Lazarus Group.

Li advised other members of the crypto community to be cautious of any requests to download files or updates, especially if they come out of the blue. He emphasized that such requests are often red flags and should be avoided. The Manta executive acknowledged that these types of hacks can be particularly effective against individuals who are accustomed to receiving numerous messages and sudden meeting requests, playing on their emotional connections and potential mental fatigue.

Li was not the only one targeted by the hackers in recent days. A member of ContributionDAO reported a similar experience, where the attackers asked them to download Zoom via a provided link, claiming it was a business version. When the member requested to switch to Google Meet, the attackers refused. Additionally, a crypto researcher known as "Meekdonald" shared that a friend of theirs fell victim to the same strategy that Li avoided.

The incident underscores the escalating sophistication of cyber-attacks targeting the crypto community. The use of live recordings and the impersonation of familiar individuals make these attacks particularly convincing and difficult to detect. Li's experience serves as a stark reminder of the importance of vigilance and caution when dealing with unexpected requests or downloads, even from seemingly trusted sources. The attack highlights the need for enhanced security measures and awareness within the crypto community to mitigate such threats.