Tag Archive for: Bridge

South Korean Agencies Investigate $82M Orbit Bridge Hack

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Orbit Bridge HackOrbit Bridge Hack
Source: DALL·E

Orbit Bridge, which serves as the main bridge for the Claytont ecosystem, was exploited for nearly $82 million hours before the new year’s eve. Multiple South Korean agencies are currently investigating the multi million hack.

Allegations have emerged identifying North Korea’s hacking group, ‘Lazarus,’ as the orchestrator of the exploit, prompting several South Korean National Intelligence Service (NIS) to intervene for a comprehensive investigation.

The bridge was utilized by prominent Korean domestic platforms such as Kakao’s blockchain platform Claytont and WEMIX, a blockchain project by WEMADE.

Intelligence Agencies Investigate the Exploit


The NIS’s involvement in determining the perpetrator of the attack signifies an unusual level of engagement for a blockchain-related virtual asset theft. According to Orbit Bridge’s operating company, OZYS, they promptly reported the asset misappropriation incident to the Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA) and the National Police Agency on January 1st, complying with mandatory reporting obligations under the Information and Communication Network Act.

The NIS commented on the ongoing investigation, stating, “We are currently investigating the cause and the perpetrator of the incident. While no direct link to North Korea has been confirmed so far, we are collaborating with relevant agencies and considering the possibility,” local news media reported.

NIS Involvement in Investigation Deemed Unusual


The incident follows a pattern observed in the cryptocurrency space where cybercrime incidents trigger the involvement of agencies like the Cyber Investigation Division of the National Police Agency and KISA. However, the inclusion of the NIS in this case is deemed exceptional.

OZYS has actively cooperated with the investigation, notifying authorities promptly and seeking assistance from global blockchain analysis firms such as UPsala Security and the TON Foundation.

As the fallout from this incident reverberates not only within the Claytont…

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Bill from Illinois Democrat seeks to bridge digital divide through free wifi in local parks

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A Democratic congressman announced legislation this week that aims to use multiple federal government programs to bring broadband internet and computers to local parks across the country, bridging the digital divide in underserved communities by providing free internet services.

The Technology in the Parks Act of 2023, introduced by Rep. Danny Davis, D-Ill., aims to boost innovation, increase technology training and decrease inequality through multiple relevant internet programs.

“I believe that this legislation aligns with the nation’s commitment to fostering innovation, education, and community development,” Davis said in a statement. “This legislation, once passed, will contribute to building a more technologically inclusive society, ensuring that the benefits of advancements reach all corners of our community.”

The bill proposes an expansion of the Federal Communications Commission’s E-rates internet program to include local parks, which Davis said is key to bringing broadband access to outdoor community spaces, similar to the existing coverage for schools and libraries.

The FCC’s E-rate program helps schools and libraries across the country gain access to affordable broadband internet and is the government’s largest educational technology program.

The legislation would include local parks in the U.S. General Services Computers for Learning Program, providing access to computer equipment that federal agencies have identified as excess property and enabling technological advancements and digital literacy in those areas.

The third piece of the legislation would require the Labor Department to establish a program to offer grants for technology training programs in local parks, supporting skill development and ensuring that local parks that host such programs are eligible for E-Rate support.

The legislation “is a crucial step in bridging the technological divide and promoting education and skill development in our communities,” Davis said. “By extending E-Rate support to local parks, we empower these spaces to become hubs for technology training, creating opportunities for skill acquisition in areas such as coding, cyber…

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FBI Says Lazarus Group Behind $100 Million Harmony Bridge Heist

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The FBI is pinning the blame for a $100 million cryptocurrency heist last June on the Lazarus Group, a team associated with the North Korean government that is notorious for stealing cryptocurrency to help support that country’s military and weapons programs.

On Tuesday, the FBI released a statement identifying Lazarus Group, also known as APT38, as the culprit for the June 24 attack on the Harmony Horizon bridge that resulted in the loss of $100 million in Ethereum. The Harmony Horizon bridge is a connection between various cryptocurrency systems, specifically Harmony and Ethereum, Bitcoin, and Binance Chain. In June, attackers were able to gain access to the bridge and make off with the Ethereum.

“The Harmony team has identified a theft occurring this morning on the Horizon bridge amounting to approx. $100MM. We have begun working with national authorities and forensic specialists to identify the culprit and retrieve the stolen funds,” Harmony said at the time of the incident.

The FBI, along with the Department of Justice’s National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team, and various United States attorney’s offices has been investigating the Harmony heist and on Tuesday said that the Lazarus Group was responsible for the attack and had used its malware tool known as TraderTraitor as part of the operation.

“On Friday, January 13, 2023, North Korean cyber actors used RAILGUN, a privacy protocol, to launder over $60 million worth of ethereum (ETH) stolen during the June 2022 heist. A portion of this stolen ethereum was subsequently sent to several virtual asset service providers and converted to bitcoin (BTC),” the FBI said in a statement.

“On Friday, January 13, 2023, North Korean cyber actors used RAILGUN, a privacy protocol, to launder over $60 million worth of ethereum (ETH) stolen during the June 2022 heist.”

The Lazarus Group has been operating for many years and is closely associated with the government of North Korea and typically operates in support of the government’s interests. The group’s best-known operation was an attack on the Bank of Bangladesh in 2016 that netted it $81 million and Lazarus has continued to target banks and crypto…

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North Korea’s Lazarus Group Moves More than $60 Million from Harmony Bridge Hack

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Over the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend, North Korea’s state-owned cybercrime entity the Lazarus Group, most famously linked to the 2014 Sony Pictures hack, moved approximately 41,000 ETH or more than $60 million of Ethereum to the crypto exchanges Binance, Huboi and OKX. The funds were taken from last year’s Harmony blockchain bridge hack, which resulted in the stealing of nearly $100 million in crypto, according to internet detective ZachXBT.

Binance and Huboi both froze the funds, with Binance declaring that 124 BTC in assets were recovered during the process.

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