Former Mt. Gox CEO Claims Ledger Hardware Wallet May Have Spy Module Installed

Former Mt. Gox CEO Mark Karpelès revealed that a Ledger hardware wallet he received appears to have a spy module implanted. The device, which came from Malaysia, had its shrink wrap intact, making it difficult to immediately detect any anomalies upon opening; the implant was hidden in the cushioning pad of the screen. Karpelès explained that the module contains an LTE communication component, an antenna, an eSIM, and a microcontroller connected to the Ledger SPI bus, capable of analyzing the characters displayed by the device and sending relevant data after the mnemonic phrase setup is complete. Attackers could potentially monitor the victim's wallet address and choose the right moment to transfer assets. He advised users to check their devices according to Ledger's official guidelines.