In a six-month security initiative, the Ethereum Foundation detected around 100 DPRK IT workers infiltrating approximately 53 cryptocurrency projects. The program helped freeze hundreds of thousands of dollars and came as North Korean-linked hackers set a record by stealing over $2 billion in crypto assets during 2025. The revelations coincide with U.S. prison sentences for two individuals who facilitated DPRK workers’ access to American companies.
The Ethereum Foundation reported that a six-month program helped expose around 100 IT workers associated with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea across 53 crypto projects. “This work directly addresses one of the most pressing operational security threats facing the Ethereum ecosystem today,” the Foundation stated in a blog post.
The ETH Rangers Program led to the detection of hundreds of vulnerabilities and prompted dozens of incident responses. Research identified DPRK workers committed to helping the so-called Hermit Kingdom pull off its next heist.
Blockchain sleuth Nick Bax identified and notified more than 30 teams that DPRK workers were on their payroll. He ultimately helped freeze hundreds of thousands of dollars in crypto that bad actors had received.
In 2025, North Korean hackers stole a record-breaking $2 billion in cryptocurrency, according to Chainalysis. This marked a 51% increase from the previous year’s thefts.
A recent United Nations report found the DPRK has dispatched between 3,000 and 10,000 IT workers overseas. Recent numbers published with the U.S. State Department found as many as 1,500 were in China, with plans to send more to Russia.
Simultaneously, the U.S. Justice Department reported that two U.S. nationals were sentenced to at least seven years in prison. They had helped DPRK workers pose as Americans to gain access to 100 U.S. companies.
For their roles in helping funnel millions of dollars from victimized companies overseas, the individuals received $700,000. Authorities noted that eight other defendants indicted in connection with the scheme remained at large.
