North Korean Hacker Breaches MetaMask for Code Development, No Data or Fund Losses Reported

On July 19, MetaMask developer Consensys discovered that a North Korean hacker had infiltrated the MetaMask team under a false identity, working for about a month and participating in the core wallet code development. The individual used the name "Tyler Knapp" and joined as a consultant through a contractor, with a GitHub account under the name imyugioh, submitting code from March 9 to April. The code the hacker was involved with pertained to the transfer between crypto assets and fiat currencies. Upon identifying the risk, Consensys immediately revoked the hacker's access and instructed employees to pause product releases and avoid contact with the individual, while also reporting the incident to law enforcement. Consensys' General Counsel Matt Corva stated that the investigation confirmed no assets or data were misappropriated, no malicious code was deployed, and user funds and security were unaffected. The company is currently reviewing its contractor background check processes. TRM Labs noted that the developer's work environment has become a significant entry point for attackers to obtain keys and withdrawal approval systems from crypto companies. Previously, an Ethereum-funded project had identified 100 suspected North Korean IT professionals among 53 crypto projects.