13 Aug 2025, 15:13

North Korean hacker group exposed in suspected data breach

A large North Korean hacker group has been exposed in an alleged data breach involving two compromised systems, where a Kimsuky APT member suffered a suspected massive leak. A member of the suspected North Korean hacker group Kimsuky Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) has reportedly suffered a major data breach, resulting in the leak of hundreds of gigabytes of internal files and tools. North Korean hacker group exposed in suspected data breach According to Slow Mist security researchers, the leaked Kimsuky hacker data includes browser histories, phishing campaign logs, manuals for custom backdoors, and offensive systems such as the TomCat kernel backdoor, modified Cobalt Strike beacons, Ivanti RootRot, and Android-based malware variants like Toybox. The reports suspect that the data breach occurred in early June 2025, and traced it back to two compromised systems linked to a Kimsuky operator working under the “KIM” alias. One was a Linux development workstation running Deepin 20.9, while the other was a public-facing VPS. The Linux system likely served as a malware development environment, while the other hosts spear-phishing material, including fake login portals and command-and-control links. The hackers behind the breach , calling themselves “Saber” and “cyb0rg,” claim they accessed and exfiltrated the contents of both systems before publishing them online. While some indicators tie “KIM” to Kimsuky’s known infrastructure, other linguistic and technical clues suggest a possible Chinese link, so for now KIM’s origins remain unresolved. Kimsuky has operated since at least 2012 Kimsuky has connections to North Korea’s Reconnaissance General Bureau since it first popped up in 2012. The group has long specialized in cyber-espionage targeting governments, think tanks, defense contractors, and academia. In early 2025, Kimsuky campaigns like DEEP#DRIVE used multi-stage intrusion chains beginning with compressed ZIP files containing Windows shortcut (LNK) files disguised as documents. When victims open those files, the LNK files launch PowerShell commands that retrieve malicious payloads from services like Dropbox, using decoy documents to appear legitimate and avoid detection. Kimsuky campaigns from March and April of 2025 introduced jumbled VBScript and PowerShell code embedded in malicious ZIP archives. These scripts assembled commands covertly, deploying malware to harvest keystrokes, capture clipboard data, and steal cryptocurrency wallet keys from browsers, including Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Naver Whale. Some operations shifted to using malicious LNK files paired with VBScript that invoked mshta.exe to execute reflective DLL-based malware directly in memory. Around the same period, Kimsuky began deploying custom RDP Wrapper modules and proxy malware to enable stealthy remote access. Info-stealers like forceCopy were used to harvest credentials from browser configuration files without triggering standard password-access alerts. The group has also abused popular cloud and code-hosting services. In one spear-phishing campaign in June 2025 targeting South Korea , private GitHub repositories were used to store malware and exfiltrated data. These campaigns delivered payloads such as XenoRAT while using Dropbox as a staging ground for stolen files. This dual use of trusted platforms for both delivery and exfiltration allowed Kimsuky to hide its malicious activity within the legitimate network’s traffic. If you're reading this, you’re already ahead. Stay there with our newsletter .

13 Aug 2025, 15:13

MetaMask introduces rewards program with 2.4% APR on Aave lending and borrowing

Crypto wallet MetaMask has partnered with Brevis and Linea to launch a unique reward program for users of its digital Card. The initiative allows individuals to earn passive income, starting with a 2.4% fixed annual percentage (APR) on USDC borrowing and lending through Aave on the Linea platform. Brevis @brevis_zk · Follow 🦊 @MetaMask Card just got a ZK Turbocharge — powered by Brevis.Boost your USDC lending or borrowing on @Aave @LineaBuild with an additional 2.4% APR yield.Every reward is ZK verified on-chain: transparent, secure and trustless.We changed the on-chain incentive game 👇 Watch on Twitter View replies 6:28 PM · Aug 13, 2025 221 Reply Copy link Read 98 replies The feature adopts user-friendliness, allowing anyone to participate without complicated setups or additional steps. Moreover, the program will run on-chain through Incentra to ensure a verifiable, automated, and transparent incentive model. The development saw native AAVE extending its 24-hour gains by over 10%, boosted by the broad market rallies. It jumped from around $301 to $334 intraday high, with soaring trading volumes signaling revived trader optimism. Transparent rewards through ZK proofs The reward program leverages ZK (zero-knowledge) proof, which is a cryptographic model that enables data authentication without revealing key details. That means you can trust the reward calculations without concerns about hidden and opaque structures. Moreover, operating on-chain allows real-time calculation and verification of every transaction. Such transparency could attract users who prioritize blockchain’s core ethos of trust and openness. That could cement Aave as the giant of DeFi lending. Recently, it surpassed $50 billion in net deposits, indicating investor confidence in its potential. Aave and Linea’s key roles The passive rewards begin with USDC borrowing and lending on DEX Aave, recognized for its stability and deep liquidity. It has signed key collaborations to enrich its lending & borrowing infrastructure, including adding Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin . Recently, active borrowers on the decentralized exchange hit new all-time highs, surpassing $25 billion. Aave @aave · Follow There’s now over $25B active borrows on Aave, a new all-time high. 7:42 PM · Aug 12, 2025 578 Reply Copy link Read 42 replies Meanwhile, the Ethereum L2 solution Linea is equally vital to facilitate the rewards. It ensures cheaper and faster transactions, making the initiative accessible to users without the challenges of massive gas fees. Most importantly, the fixed APR (2.4%) guarantees stability in an industry prone to wild volatility. MetaMask Card users can utilize idle USDC in their wallets to earn impressive incentives. AAVE price outlook The DEX’s native token traded in green amidst the new MetaMask developments. AAVE price extended its gains from a daily low of $301 by over 10% to $334 intraday peak. It hovers at $327 with increasing volume hinting at continued surges. Chart by Coinamrketcap Technical indicators show that bulls control AAVE’s performance. For instance, the price sways above the 50-EMA and 100-EMA on the daily timeframe. Also, the 1D Moving Average Convergence Divergence stayed above the signal line since crossing over last Friday. The daily Relative Strength Index at 62 suggests more uptrends for AAVE before overbought situations emerge. Bulls will target the key level at $380 upon extended gains. That would mean an over 15% uptick from AAVE’s market price. Meanwhile, the booming crypto lending market positions AAVE for remarkable long-term growth. MetaMask’s new program could herald deeper connections between L2 networks, lending protocols, and wallet providers to shape the next stage of DeFi expansion. The post MetaMask introduces rewards program with 2.4% APR on Aave lending and borrowing appeared first on Invezz

13 Aug 2025, 15:13

ETH NEARS ATH, SOL BREAKS $200, PUMP BACK TO ICO PRICE

ETH & SOL soar, BTC dominance below 60%. ETH ETFs see $2.3b of inflows in 6 days. SOL breaks $200, DeFi TVL at three year highs. BitMine upsizes offering to buy ETH to $25bn. Crypto sentiment jumps to ‘Greed’ in a week. Institutions now hold 17% of BTC in circulation. ETH DATs now hold ~2% of supply. $1.3b could be liquidated if ETH hits $5k. 75% odds ETH hits $5k by Aug 31 on Polymarket. ETHZilla shares 3x as Peter Thiel takes stake. ETH Foundation offloads $13m ETH. Do Kwon pleads guilty to two counts of fraud. Trump’s crypto activities made $2.4b since 2022. Bullish IPO raises $1.1b, oversubscribed 20x. Binance first member of T3+, the crypto crime unit. Coinbase revives stablecoin fund to boost USDC.

13 Aug 2025, 15:12

Bitcoin bulls charge at all-time highs as trader says $126K 'pivotal'

Bitcoin already has new key price levels beyond current all-time highs as traders wait for Ether price discovery to hit.

13 Aug 2025, 15:11

XRP Price Watch: Technical Indicators Signal Accumulation Phase

XRP traded at $3.24 as of Aug. 13, 2025, reflecting a 1.8% intraday increase. The asset maintained a daily range between $3.20 and $3.32, with a 24-hour trading volume of $9.64 billion and a total market capitalization of $193.41 billion. XRP On the 1-hour chart, XRP experienced a modest retracement following a peak at $3.32.

13 Aug 2025, 15:11

Bitcoin Hyper Presale Hits $9M on the Back of Plans to Fix Bitcoin’s Biggest Flaw

Bitcoin Hyper’s presale has surged past the $9M milestone, helped by a wave of large buys – including a record-breaking $161K purchase and several other $50K+ entries. This frenzy is fueled by a long-standing but straightforward problem: Bitcoin’s painfully slow transaction speed and unpredictable fees. At roughly seven transactions per second (TPS), $BTC is outpaced by almost every major smart contract chain. In peak demand (such as the Runes minting rush ), fees jump from a couple of dollars to $100+, pushing everyday payments and smaller trades out of reach. Meanwhile, networks like Solana can process 65K+ TPS with little to no costs, powering DeFi, gaming, and meme coin markets. Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER) aims to close that gap by introducing a Layer-2 ecosystem, making Bitcoin fast enough for everything – from decentralized apps to meme coin trading. The Problem – Bitcoin’s Scalability Bottleneck For all its dominance and brand power, Bitcoin remains stuck with a ceiling of around 7 TPS. That’s fine for a settlement network, but it only leads to gridlock when hype kicks in. In April 2024, the Runes protocol was launched right after the Bitcoin halving event. This caused the mempool (memory pool) to be clogged for days, with some transactions waiting hours (if not longer) to confirm. Fees also became completely unpredictable . During the Runes minting frenzy, fees jumped as high as $127, making it impractical for smaller transfers. For builders, these economics are a deal-breaker. If users can’t transact affordably or quickly, there’s no point deploying a decentralized exchange, NFT marketplace, or meme coin on Bitcoin. As a result, Bitcoin-native dApps are almost nonexistent. DeFi, gaming, and cultural coins have flourished on chains like Ethereum and Solana instead, where transactions are fast and cheap. That migration of users and liquidity could be seen as a structural leak in Bitcoin’s long-term dominance.If Bitcoin could scale without sacrificing its security model, it could reclaim lost ground in DeFi, NFTs, and even payments. That’s precisely the opportunity Bitcoin Hyper is targeting. The Solution – Bitcoin Hyper’s Layer-2 Powered by SVM Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER) is pitching itself as a Layer-2 for Bitcoin – a trustless execution layer that stays anchored to Bitcoin’s base chain. This distinction matters because it means users aren’t relying on a separate validator set or federated custodians; security still comes from Bitcoin itself. Here’s how it works in practice: Bridge $BTC to Layer-2 – You send $BTC to a designated address. A smart contract reads Bitcoin blocks, verifies the deposit, and mints (creates) the same amount of $BTC on Bitcoin Hyper’s Layer-2, 1:1. Operate on Layer-2 – Once on Bitcoin Hyper, your $BTC moves instantly and at near-zero cost, thanks to the integrated Solana Virtual Machine (SVM) – a proven framework capable of handling tens of thousands of transactions per second. ZK Proof Settlement – Hyper batches transactions and posts zero-knowledge proofs back to Bitcoin Layer-1, maintaining full synchronization with the main chain. Bridge Back – When you want your $BTC on Layer-1 again, the system verifies and unlocks it, ready for use on the main network. With this, Bitcoin can finally support native meme coins, on-chain DeFi, and everyday payments without facing bottlenecks. Built-in cross-chain compatibility from day one means assets can move seamlessly between Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana ecosystems. Want to learn more? Take a look at our what is Bitcoin Hyper guide for everything tokenomics, ecosystem, community sentiment, and more. Why This Could Change Bitcoin’s Place in the Market Think of it like taking Bitcoin – the digital equivalent of a high-security vault – and giving it the speed and flexibility of a modern trading floor. The store of value becomes a hub of activity. If Bitcoin Hyper delivers on its promise, it could transform $BTC from a passive store of value into a full-speed execution layer. That shift would put Bitcoin in direct competition with Ethereum and Solana for DeFi capital, meme coin liquidity, and developer attention – areas it’s barely touched until now. Lower fees and instant transactions could attract builders who have long dismissed Bitcoin as too slow or too expensive. The irony is hard to miss: Bitcoin is already the largest crypto in the world, yet this could make it even bigger. The Financial Side and What’s Next for $HYPER The Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER) presale has already pulled in $9M, with massive whale buys fueling the momentum. Yesterday, a record $161K buy from the Best Wallet app came in. This follows earlier whale purchases of $74.9K , $54.1K , and $53.9K . The current price is $0.012675 per $HYPER, with early stakers earning a 119% APY – a rate that will likely decrease as more tokens enter the pool. $HYPER is the fuel for the entire Layer-2. It pays gas fees, secures governance rights, unlocks staking rewards, and gives holders priority access to future airdrops and ecosystem launches. Early buyers are effectively securing a stake in the network’s foundation. Check out our How to Buy Bitcoin Hyper guide for step-by-step instructions on joining the presale. Looking ahead, the Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER) roadmap points to a mainnet launch right after the presale, complete with developer tooling for Bitcoin-native dApps and the first wave of meme coins built directly on the Layer-2. Final Thoughts – The First True Bitcoin Layer-2 Is Almost Here With the ‘Bitcoin DeFi’ narrative gaining momentum and institutional players looking at $BTC beyond its store-of-value role, Bitcoin Hyper is positioning itself as a major step forward in Bitcoin’s scalability. $HYPER seeks to turn Bitcoin from a slow-moving store of value into a network ready for DeFi, meme coins, and global payments. This is about unlocking Bitcoin’s full potential. With the $HYPER presale reaching $9M and the next price tier approaching, early access offers not just discounted tokens but high-yield staking and priority in the ecosystem’s first launches. As always, this is not financial advice. Please do your own research (DYOR) and never invest more than you’re willing to lose.