Humanity Protocol Shifts Focus to Operational Security After $36M Laptop Hack

Humanity Protocol founder Terence Kwok says the company is overhauling its operational security practices after a $36 million exploit last month was traced to a compromised employee laptop, marking a shift in how crypto attackers are targeting projects.

Compromised Laptop Traced to Mainnet Launch Error

Kwok told that breach originated from last year’s mainnet launch, when production keys, including admin hot wallet keys and multisig owner keys across two chains, were mistakenly backed up onto an employee laptop. That device was later compromised, giving attackers the access needed to steal $36 million in Humanity (H) tokens, a token currently holding a market cap of about $211 million.

Phishing Email Linked to North Korean Hackers

Security firm Quantstamp found the breach began with a phishing email disguised as a token schedule update from exchange Bithumb, which installed malware granting remote access. The tactics point to North Korea linked actors, a group tied to $578 million of the $634 million in crypto losses recorded in April alone.

Social Engineering Attacks Rise Industry-Wide

CertiK data shows phishing caused $508 million in losses during the first quarter of 2026, while wallet compromises drove $807 million in losses in the second quarter. Overall crypto hack losses fell 46.8% year on year to $1.32 billion in the first half of 2026, though researchers say North Korean linked hackers remain a persistent threat.