Novel crypto-mixing service leveraged by Lazarus hackers

North Korean state-sponsored hacking operation Lazarus Group has begun leveraging the new cryptocurrency mixing service Sinbad as it sought to evade U.S. sanctions against the Blender and Tornado Cash crypto-mixing services, BleepingComputer reports. Nearly $100 million in stolen cryptocurrency has already been laundered by Lazarus Group through Sinbad since October, according to a report from Elliptic. Operating as a custodial mixer similar to Blender and Tornado Cash, Sinbad enables operators to take control of the proceeds. Both Sinbad and Blender are believed by Elliptic researchers to have the same operators due to the discovery of Bitcoin from the Blender operator's crypto wallet in the Sinbad site's service address. Both services also had strong links to Russia and had similar naming conventions. "The way in which the Sinbad mixer operates is identical to Blender in several ways, including ten-digit mixer codes, guarantee letters signed by the service address, and a maximum seven-day transaction delay," Elliptic added.