According to Opsek Founder Pablo Sabbatella, North Korea has an estimated 2,500 organized hackers targeting crypto right now. And 99% of stolen funds don't start with a smart contract bug, they start with compromising a person.
Given the rampant protocol exploits in DeFi this year, we sat down with Pablo and Louis, his Head of Operations & Audits at Opsek, for one of the most informative security conversations on how to protect ourselves and how real is the threat to DeFi right now.
A few things every DeFi user should know:
Your personal data is already exposed. From just an email address, Pablo pulled Nomatic's home address, leaked passwords, KYC photos, and more using open source intelligence (OSINT), all publicly available or leaked on the dark web.
Hardware wallets and 2FA aren't enough. If your device is compromised, session hijacking means attackers can access any account you have open.
Passkeys are better than 2FA. If you're still using SMS-based 2FA, stop. Yubikeys and passkeys are the minimum bar for anyone holding meaningful crypto.
Never buy a hardware wallet from a third party. Only buy directly from the manufacturer. Tampered devices are a real and documented attack vector.
Many of the DPRK’s laptop farms are staffed by unwitting US citizens to pass KYC and infiltrate teams. If a new hire can't meet you in person, that's a red flag.
North Korea is already inside some crypto organizations. In fact, just recently Consensys and Metamask announced they unknowingly hired a North Korean hacker before detecting the threat after 1 month and revoking his access.
Listen to the latest Edge Podcast for the full breakdown with Pablo and Louiso on how to keep your crypto safe, and learn more about their team at Opsek at opsek.io.
| CONTINUE BELOW FOR PODCAST LINKS |
Thanks to our sponsors and who make this content free for you to enjoy!
Listen below on Spotify, Apple, and YouTube or check out our Linktree here!
🔗 Guest Links 🔗
► Opsek website: opsek.io
► Opsek on X: x.com/opsek_io
► Pablo Sabbatella on X: x.com/PabloSabbatella
► Louis on X: x.com/theSouilos
► Security Alliance on X: x.com/_SEAL_Org
📺 More Episodes You Might Enjoy
DISCLAIMER: Nothing said on The Edge Podcast is a recommendation to buy or sell tokens or securities. This content is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing shared here is financial advice. Any views expressed by hosts or guests on the show are solely their opinions. Always do your own research. DeFi Dad, Nomatic, and guests may have positions in the assets or other matters discussed in this podcast.
