Israel and Syria agree to ceasefire, says U.S. ambassador to Türkiye
The U.S. ambassador to Türkiye says Israel and Syria have reached a ceasefire deal supported by Türkiye, Jordan, and regional actors after cross-bor...
In the wake of what is believed to be the largest crypto heist in history, crypto exchange Bybit has launched a $140 million bounty program aimed at tracing and freezing approximately $1.4 billion in stolen Ethereum.
The bounty, announced by Bybit’s CEO and co-founder Ben Zhou on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, is part of a broader effort to counteract the activities of the Lazarus Group—a North Korean-backed hacker collective accused of targeting cryptocurrency platforms.
Under the new bounty program, 5% of any traced and frozen stolen funds will be awarded to the individual who identifies them, with an additional 5% granted to the entity that facilitates the freeze. At the time of reporting, five bounty hunters have collectively received $4.23 million in rewards. The program’s official site, notable for its provocative logo depicting a knife impaling an image resembling North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, underscores the firm’s determination to hold perpetrators accountable.
“We will not stop until Lazarus or bad actors in the industry is eliminated. In the future, we will open it up to other victims of Lazarus as well,” Zhou stated, emphasizing the company's commitment to dismantling networks that support cybercriminal activity in the crypto space.
Multiple security researchers and crypto monitoring firms have pointed to strong evidence suggesting that the hackers behind the Bybit breach are working for the North Korean government. Governments of the United States, Japan, and South Korea have indicated that North Korean-linked cyber operations stole around $650 million in cryptocurrency in 2024 alone, highlighting the escalating threat facing digital asset platforms.
Preliminary forensic investigations led by Sygnia Labs and Verichains have provided further insights into the hack. Sygnia Labs identified the “root cause” as malicious code originating from the infrastructure of SafeWallet, a crypto wallet platform. Verichains added that a benign JavaScript file had been replaced with a malicious version designed specifically to target Bybit’s Ethereum Multisig Cold Wallet. Both investigations pointed to a breach of a developer’s device at SafeWallet, a vulnerability that SafeWallet has since confirmed.
Bybit’s aggressive bounty initiative marks a significant step in the ongoing battle against cybercrime in the cryptocurrency sector. As efforts intensify to trace and freeze the stolen funds, the program not only aims to recover assets but also sends a strong message to other potential bad actors in the industry.
The world’s biggest dance music festival faces an unexpected setback as a fire destroys its main stage, prompting a last-minute response from organisers determined to keep the party alive in Boom, Belgium.
China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will send an upgraded ‘version 3.0’ free-trade agreement to their heads of government for approval in October, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Saturday after regional talks in Kuala Lumpur.
Germany's export slump since 2021 is largely driven by deep-rooted competitiveness issues, the Bundesbank warned in its latest report, calling for urgent structural reforms.
Israeli researchers have unveiled an artificial intelligence tool that can determine a person’s true biological age from tiny DNA samples with remarkable precision.
Two Harry Potter actresses, Emma Watson and Zoe Wanamaker, have each received a six-month driving ban after separate speeding offences, both sentenced on the same day at a Buckinghamshire court.
Netflix has used generative artificial intelligence to produce a visual effects scene in an original series for the first time, marking a new step for the streaming platform.
Elon Musk’s xAI chatbot Grok has come under global scrutiny after users reported it using offensive language. It prompted warnings from experts that human intervention in its responses proves the need for a global AI ethical framework.
Major American corporations unveiled over $90 billion in new investments focused on AI and energy during the Energy and Innovation Summit at Carnegie Mellon University on Tuesday. The announcements come as President Donald Trump pushes to cement U.S. leadership in the booming tech and energy sectors
Nvidia has received approval from the U.S. government to sell its advanced H20 AI chips to China, CEO Jensen Huang announced.
Apple and mining company MP Materials announced a joint $500 million investment to develop a rare earth magnet recycling facility, with plans to bolster U.S.-based production and reduce reliance on China.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment