Recent analysis by Quantstamp reveals that a significant hack on Humanity Protocol, resulting in the theft of $36 million in Humanity tokens, is likely linked to North Korean hackers. The incident occurred on June 12, 2026, when attackers exploited a phishing email that masqueraded as a legitimate update from South Korean exchange Bithumb.
The compromised laptop belonged to a Humanity Protocol employee, allowing intruders to gain access to sensitive data, including the MetaMask wallet credentials of Chong Yee Wai, the company's director. This hacking method involved malware that was digitally signed with a South Korean Hancom certificate, a tactic identified as typical of North Korean cyber operations.
Quantstamp noted that this breach is part of a larger trend, with North Korea-linked groups responsible for approximately $2 billion of the $3.4 billion lost to crypto thefts in 2025. In total, North Korean actors have been implicated in stealing an estimated $6.75 billion in cryptocurrency over the past decade, highlighting their increasing sophistication in cyber crime.