Hackers have attempted to breach the Google account of Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, co-founder of Binance. This incident points to an uptick in threats posed by state-sponsored hacking collectives, notably North Korea’s Lazarus Group.

A Google notification revealed that these attackers aimed to capture Zhao’s account credentials. CZ implied that this was likely linked to the Lazarus Group.

“I occasionally receive these alerts from Google. Is this connected to North Korea’s Lazarus? I don’t think my account holds anything significant,” Zhao remarked in a recent post on X.

The Lazarus Group has been implicated in numerous high-profile cryptocurrency heists, including the remarkable $1.4 billion Bybit hack on February 21.

Source Image Source: Changpeng Zhao

According to US intelligence, there exists a sophisticated network of agents posing as remote IT workers, rerouting significant sums back to North Korea. Anndy Lian spoke to Cointelegraph, saying:

“I personally know of a government official who received a warning similar to CZ’s regarding attempted hacks on their account.”

These hackers sought to contact Google for clarity but were denied due to security policies.

Zhao Raises Alarm on North Korean Impersonators

This breach attempt comes amid a resurgence of threats from North Korean hackers. Just recently, Zhao warned about the dangers these hackers pose, especially as they seek infiltrations into crypto firms under the guise of job seekers and bribes.

“They apply for positions within your company, creating an opportunity for infiltration,” Zhao noted in a September 18 post on X.

This alert coincides with the findings of a cybersecurity group named Security Alliance (SEAL), which identified 60 North Korean impersonators posing as IT job applicants attempting to access US exchanges and compromise user data.

Security Alliance Source: lazarus.group/team

In response to these threats, cryptocurrency companies are urged to bolster their security protocols, including dual wallet management and AI-driven monitoring solutions. According to Chainalysis, North Korean hackers have looted over $1.34 billion worth of digital assets in 2024, emphasizing the growing cybersecurity concern.