[Researchers Set Up Fake Crypto Startup to Trap North Korean IT Workers, Exposing Their Revenue-Generating Methods] According to Cointelegraph, BCA LTD founder Mauro Eldritch and Telefónica Tech analyst Heiner García created a fake crypto startup called Ballena Azul to lure suspected North Korean IT workers into working in a controlled environment for five weeks while monitoring their behavior. The investigation revealed that the servers used by these workers were linked to North Korean infrastructure responsible for distributing malware such as InvisibleFerret, BeaverTail, and OtterCookie. Additionally, the workers used ChatGPT and Google Gemini to forge identities. North Korean IT workers have been obtaining remote jobs by fabricating U.S. identities, with their earnings funneled into Pyongyang's weapons of mass destruction programs. Data from the U.S. Treasury Department indicates that such schemes are projected to generate nearly $800 million for North Korea in 2024.