North Korean Hackers Stole Nearly $400 Million in Crypto Last Year
2 years, 11 months ago

North Korean Hackers Stole Nearly $400 Million in Crypto Last Year

Wired  

The past year saw a breathtaking rise in the value of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum, with Bitcoin gaining 60 percent in value in 2021 and Ethereum spiking 80 percent. North Korean hackers stole a total of $395 million worth of crypto coins last year across seven intrusions into cryptocurrency exchanges and investment firms, according to blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis. The nine-figure sum represents a nearly $100 million increase over the previous year's thefts by North Korean hacker groups, and it brings their total haul over the past five years to $1.5 billion in cryptocurrency alone—not including the uncounted hundreds of millions more the country has stolen from the traditional financial system. The growth in stolen funds also tracks with the number of thefts last year; the seven breaches Chainalysis tracked in 2021 amount to three more than in 2020, though fewer than the 10 successful attacks that North Korean hackers carried out in 2018, when they stole a record $522 million. For the first time since Chainalysis began tracking North Korean cryptocurrency thefts, Bitcoin no longer represents anywhere near the majority of the country's take, accounting for only around 20 percent of the stolen funds.

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History of this topic

North Korean hackers account for over 60% of all global cryptocurrency stolen in 2024
3 weeks ago

North Korean hackers account for over 60% of all global cryptocurrency stolen in 2024

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy North Korean hackers have stolen …

How North Korean hackers stole billions in crypto while posing as VCs, IT workers
1 month, 1 week ago

How North Korean hackers stole billions in crypto while posing as VCs, IT workers

Firstpost  

North Korean hacking groups use sophisticated methods to infiltrate targets. One group, dubbed “Sapphire Sleet” by Microsoft, impersonates venture capitalists and recruiters North Korea’s hackers operate under minimal risk due to existing sanctions, which limit the country’s exposure to further penalties. Image Credit: Reuters A new wave of cybercrime linked to North Korea has emerged, with hackers posing as venture …

Is North Korea the superpower in cyberattacks?
1 month, 2 weeks ago

Is North Korea the superpower in cyberattacks?

India Today  

North Korea is making headlines for large-scale cyberattacks it has carried out worldwide. A United Nations panel of experts suggested North Korea stole virtual assets worth $3 billion through 58 cyberattacks on cryptocurrency platforms between 2017 and 2023. “Despite better law enforcement, strict regulatory guidelines, and a sanctioning regime in the US cryptocurrency ecosystem, North Korean hackers continue with their …

North Korea hackers behind 2019 $42 mln Ethereum heist, South Korea police say
1 month, 3 weeks ago

North Korea hackers behind 2019 $42 mln Ethereum heist, South Korea police say

Hindustan Times  

SEOUL, - South Korean police said on Thursday an investigation confirmed that hackers linked to North Korea's military intelligence agency were responsible for an Ethereum cryptocurrency heist in 2019, worth 58 billion won at the time. North Korea hackers behind 2019 $42 mln Ethereum heist, South Korea police say More than half of the stolen assets were laundered through three …

Bitfinex Hacker Gets 5 Years for $10 Billion Bitcoin Heist
1 month, 3 weeks ago

Bitfinex Hacker Gets 5 Years for $10 Billion Bitcoin Heist

Wired  

In perhaps the most adorable hacker story of the year, a trio of technologists in India found an innovative way to circumvent Apple’s location restrictions on AirPod Pro 2s so they could enable the earbuds’ hearing aid feature for their grandmas. In a new legal strategy for those attempting to hold commercial spyware vendors responsible, lawyer Andreu Van den Eynde, …

Crypto phishing scams deplete approximately USD 300 million from 320,000 users in 2023
1 year ago

Crypto phishing scams deplete approximately USD 300 million from 320,000 users in 2023

India TV News  

Wallet drainers are one of the known malware which is related to cryptocurrency. A new report has recently revealed that the malware has stolen USD 295 million in cryptocurrencies from about 324,000 victims in 2023. The researchers said, "Over the past year, phishing activities have steadily increased each month with phishing scammers employing more sophisticated tactics to evade security measures.” …

$7 billion in illicit funds laundered across multiple blockchains in 2023: Report
1 year, 3 months ago

$7 billion in illicit funds laundered across multiple blockchains in 2023: Report

The Hindu  

Illicit or high-risk crypto-asset funds worth around $7 billion have been laundered via conversions across multiple blockchains, said the cryptocurrency analytics platform Elliptic in its October report. Elliptic had predicted that only $6.5 billion in illicit or high-risk funds would be laundered across blockchains by the end of the year. The company also pointed out that many decentralised finance services …

North Korean hacking group Labyrinth Chollima breached US IT firm JumpCloud to steal cryptocurrency
1 year, 5 months ago

North Korean hacking group Labyrinth Chollima breached US IT firm JumpCloud to steal cryptocurrency

Live Mint  

A hacking group Labyrinth Chollima, backed by North Korean government, penetrated IT management company JumpCloud in the US and used it as a springboard to target cryptocurrency companies, the IT firm said on Thursday. The hack on JumpCloud – whose products are used to help network administrators manage devices and servers – first surfaced publicly earlier this month when the …

Inside the international sting operation to catch North Korean crypto hackers
1 year, 9 months ago

Inside the international sting operation to catch North Korean crypto hackers

CNN  

Watch Alex Marquardt’s report on the sting operation on Erin Burnett OutFront on Monday, April 10, at 7 p.m. CNN — A team of South Korean spies and American private investigators quietly gathered at the South Korean intelligence service in January, just days after North Korea fired three ballistic missiles into the sea. Rodong Sinmun The sting operation, described to …

North Korea Is Now Mining Crypto to Launder Its Stolen Loot
1 year, 9 months ago

North Korea Is Now Mining Crypto to Launder Its Stolen Loot

Wired  

In the cryptocurrency ecosystem, coins have a story, tracked in the unchangeable blockchains underpinning their economy. Today, cybersecurity firm Mandiant published a report on a prolific North Korean state- Like many North Korean hacker groups, APT43 also maintains a sideline in profit-focused cybercrime, according to Mandiant, stealing any cryptocurrency that can enrich the North Korean regime or even just fund …

North Korea behind $100m crypto theft, FBI says
1 year, 11 months ago

North Korea behind $100m crypto theft, FBI says

Al Jazeera  

California-based Harmony said in June it had been the target of a cyberattack that stole $100m worth of digital assets. North Korean hackers were behind the theft of $100m worth of digital assets from a US crypto firm last year, according to United States law enforcement. North Korean cyber actors earlier this month used privacy protocol Railgun to launder more …

The Implications of FTX’s Collapse for North Korea
1 year, 11 months ago

The Implications of FTX’s Collapse for North Korea

The Diplomat  

In November 2022, one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, FTX, collapsed. While the sudden implosion of FTX sent shockwaves through the cryptocurrency industry, its demise also has implications for North Korea’s ability to continue to exploit weaknesses in the virtual asset ecosystem. The U.N. Panel of Experts has noted that funds acquired from stolen cryptocurrency “remain an important revenue …

Seoul: North Korean hackers stole $1.2B in virtual assets
2 years ago

Seoul: North Korean hackers stole $1.2B in virtual assets

Associated Press  

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korean hackers have stolen an estimated 1.5 trillion won in cryptocurrency and other virtual assets in the past five years, more than half of it this year alone, South Korea’s spy agency said Thursday. South Korea’s main spy agency, the National Intelligence Service, said North Korea’s capacity to steal digital assets is considered among the …

North Korean hackers used Itaewon tragedy for malware: Google
2 years, 1 month ago

North Korean hackers used Itaewon tragedy for malware: Google

Al Jazeera  

Google’s anti-hacking unit says state-backed hackers exploited the Halloween disaster to target internet users with malware. North Korean hackers exploited South Korea’s deadly Halloween crowd crush to target internet users with malware, according to a report by Google’s anti-hacking unit. The state-backed hackers planted malicious software in Microsoft Office documents disguised to look like a South Korean government report on …

The Future of South Korea-US Cyber Cooperation
2 years, 1 month ago

The Future of South Korea-US Cyber Cooperation

The Diplomat  

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic’s economic disruptions and U.N. sanctions, North Korea has found new, and illegal, ways to support the regime: cyberattacks garnering nearly $400 million in cryptocurrency last year and nearly $1 billion in 2022 thus far. While the United States has evidently made attempts to prevent these cyberattacks – such as sanctioning virtual currency mixer Tornado Cash for …

How impoverished North Korea finances its missile testing
2 years, 2 months ago

How impoverished North Korea finances its missile testing

LA Times  

A Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile is test-fired at an undisclosed location in North Korea on March 24 in this image released by the state-run news agency. North Korea’s recent barrage of missile tests, including Wednesday’s record number of launches, is raising an important question about its weapons program: How does the impoverished country pay for the seemingly endless tests? In …

Billions of dollars of stolen cryptocurrencies laundered using cross-chain tools
2 years, 3 months ago

Billions of dollars of stolen cryptocurrencies laundered using cross-chain tools

The Hindu  

Illicit actors, who are masters at using blockchain protocols and platforms, have moved stolen crypto funds between multiple blockchains, leaving law enforcement agencies struggling to follow their money trail. The inter-connected nature of blockchains has resulted in cyber criminals finding more complex ways to launder money and hide their tracks, according to a report by U.K. based blockchain analysis firm …

Hackers steal around $100 million cryptocurrency from Binance-linked blockchain
2 years, 3 months ago

Hackers steal around $100 million cryptocurrency from Binance-linked blockchain

The Hindu  

Hackers have stolen around $100 million worth of cryptocurrency from a Binance-linked blockchain, Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao said in a tweet on Friday. Zhao said the tokens were stolen from a blockchain "bridge" used in the Binance-linked blockchain called BNB Chain, known as Binance Smart Chain until February. Separately, BNB Chain said in a tweet that the hack involved $100 …

Crypto hack losses surged 60% to $1.9 billion between January and July 2022, reports Chainalysis
2 years, 4 months ago

Crypto hack losses surged 60% to $1.9 billion between January and July 2022, reports Chainalysis

The Hindu  

Losses arising from cryptocurrency hacks jumped nearly 60% in the first seven months of the year to $1.9 billion, propelled by a surge in funds stolen from decentralised finance protocols, according to a blog post from blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis released on Tuesday. "DeFi protocols are uniquely vulnerable to hacking, as their open source code can be studied ad nauseum …

South Korea prosecutors raid crypto exchanges, offices for Luna investigation
2 years, 5 months ago

South Korea prosecutors raid crypto exchanges, offices for Luna investigation

The Hindu  

South Korean prosecutors carried out search and seizure operations at local cryptocurrency exchanges and related offices, looking for evidence of illegal practice involved in the collapse of cryptocurrency Luna in May. “A total of 15 places, including crypto-currency exchanges and related offices, were searched on Wednesday for proof of allegations,” a spokesperson told Reuters on Thursday, without elaborating. Investors have …

Here’s how North Korean operatives are trying to infiltrate US crypto firms
2 years, 6 months ago

Here’s how North Korean operatives are trying to infiltrate US crypto firms

CNN  

Washington CNN — Devin, the founder of a cryptocurrency startup based in San Francisco, woke up one day in February to the most bizarre phone call of his life. “He was a good contributor,” Devin lamented, puzzled by the man who had claimed to be Chinese and passed multiple rounds of interviews to get hired.. Devin’s encounter is just one …

North Korea may be behind new $100 million crypto hack, experts say
2 years, 6 months ago

North Korea may be behind new $100 million crypto hack, experts say

The Hindu  

North Korean hackers are most likely behind an attack last week that stole as much as $100 million in cryptocurrency from a U.S. company, three digital investigative firms have concluded. “Preliminarily this looks like a North Korean hack based on transaction behaviour,” said Nick Carlsen, a former FBI analyst who now investigates North Korea’s cryptocurrency heists for TRM Labs, a …

Hackers have stolen $1.3 billion from crypto platforms, report says
2 years, 8 months ago

Hackers have stolen $1.3 billion from crypto platforms, report says

The Hindu  

Decentralised finance exchanges are becoming breeding ground for digital thieves. In the first three months of this year, hackers have stolen $1.3 billion from exchanges, platforms, and private entities combined, according to a report by blockchain data platform Chainalysis. A DeFi protocol uses computer code called smart contracts that run on the blockchain network. The majority of hacking attacks happen …

Security News This Week: North Korea’s Lazarus Group Was Behind $540 Million Ronin Theft
2 years, 8 months ago

Security News This Week: North Korea’s Lazarus Group Was Behind $540 Million Ronin Theft

Wired  

Early this week, the Ukrainian Computer Emergency Response Team and Slovakian cybersecurity firm ESET warned that Russia's notorious GRU Sandworm hackers had targeted high-voltage electrical substations in Ukraine using a variation of their blackout-inducing Industroyer malware, also known as Crash Override. Days later, the US Department of Energy, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the NSA, and the FBI jointly …

North Korea stealing million dollars from cryptocurrency firms, exchanges in cyber attacks: UN
2 years, 11 months ago

North Korea stealing million dollars from cryptocurrency firms, exchanges in cyber attacks: UN

India TV News  

Highlights The money is an important source of funding for its nuclear and missile programs, UN experts said North Korean “cyber-actors stole more than $50 million between 2020 and mid-2021, they said The money was stolen from at least three cryptocurrency exchanges in North America, Europe and Asia North Korea is continuing to steal hundreds of millions of dollars from …

North Korean hackers stole $550m worth of cryptocurrency in 2021, report says
2 years, 11 months ago

North Korean hackers stole $550m worth of cryptocurrency in 2021, report says

ABC  

North Korea launched at least seven attacks on cryptocurrency platforms in 2021, extracting nearly $US400 million worth of digital assets, one of its most successful years on record, blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis says in a new report. Key points: Chainalysis did not identify all the targets of the hacks North Korea has not responded to the report yet The United …

North Korean hackers stole $400 million in cryptocurrency in 2021
2 years, 11 months ago

North Korean hackers stole $400 million in cryptocurrency in 2021

The Hindu  

North Korea launched at least seven attacks on cryptocurrency platforms that extracted nearly $400 million worth of digital assets last year, one of its most successful years on record, blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis said in a new report. Last year, the United States charged three North Korean computer programmers working for the country's intelligence service with a massive, years-long hacking …

North Korean hackers stole $400m in crypto last year: report
2 years, 11 months ago

North Korean hackers stole $400m in crypto last year: report

Al Jazeera  

Analysis firm says North Korean-linked hacks jumped from four in 2020 to seven in 2021. North Korea launched at least seven attacks on cryptocurrency platforms that extracted nearly $400m worth of digital assets last year, one of its most successful years on record, blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis said in a new report. “From 2020 to 2021, the number of North …

Crypto crime hit record $14 billion in 2021, research shows
3 years ago

Crypto crime hit record $14 billion in 2021, research shows

The Hindu  

Crime involving cryptocurrencies hit an all-time high of $14 billion last year, blockchain researcher Chainalysis said on Thursday, a record that comes as regulators call for more powers over the fast-growing sector. Crypto received by digital wallet addresses linked to illicit activity including scams, darknet markets and ransomware jumped 80% from a year earlier, Chainalysis said in a report. "Criminal …

Hackers steal $600 million in major cryptocurrency heist
3 years, 5 months ago

Hackers steal $600 million in major cryptocurrency heist

Live Mint  

A firm specializing in transferring cryptocurrency said Tuesday that hackers cracked its security, making off with a record-setting haul potentially worth $600 million. Poly Network put out a plea for the stolen Ethereum, BinanceChain and OxPolygon tokens to be shunned by traders running "wallets" for storing cryptocurrency. "The amount of money you hacked is the biggest one in the defi …

North Korea imported large amounts gasoline, diesel illicitly last year: Report
3 years, 10 months ago

North Korea imported large amounts gasoline, diesel illicitly last year: Report

Hindustan Times  

North Korea illicitly imported far more refined petroleum products last year than allowed under an annual threshold set by United Nations sanctions, a report seen by AFP revealed. North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on February 17 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visiting the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun in Pyongyang. Pyongyang can import up to 500,000 …

The U.S. Has Released the Most Comprehensive Catalog of North Korean Cybercrimes Ever Made Public
55 years ago

The U.S. Has Released the Most Comprehensive Catalog of North Korean Cybercrimes Ever Made Public

Slate  

North Korea has always been a bit of an outlier among the countries that make extensive use of offensive cyber capabilities. But a December indictment unsealed this week by the Department of Justice makes clear just how central financial gain is to North Korea’s cyber activities. The indictment charges three hackers who work for the North Korean Reconnaissance General Bureau …

Feds Indict North Korean Hackers for Years of Heists and Scams
55 years ago

Feds Indict North Korean Hackers for Years of Heists and Scams

Wired  

It's no secret that North Korea's hackers have rampaged around the global internet for years, stealing hundreds of millions of dollars, extorting companies, and even carrying out vendettas against perceived enemies of the Kim Jong-Un regime. Prosecutors today unsealed an indictment against Park Jin Hyok, Jon Chang Hyok, and Kim Il, all alleged to be part of the broadly defined …

North Korean military hackers indicted in cyber plot to rob banks, attack companies
3 years, 10 months ago

North Korean military hackers indicted in cyber plot to rob banks, attack companies

LA Times  

Three North Korean computer programmers have been charged in Los Angeles with conspiring to steal and extort more than $1 billion in a sweeping array of cyberattacks against banks, other companies and cryptocurrency traders around the world, federal authorities announced Wednesday. The hackers were working for a North Korean military agency, the Reconnaissance General Bureau, and pursuing strategic and financial …

North Korean hackers stole more than $300 million to pay for nuclear weapons, says confidential UN report
3 years, 11 months ago

North Korean hackers stole more than $300 million to pay for nuclear weapons, says confidential UN report

CNN  

New York CNN — North Korea’s army of hackers stole hundreds of millions of dollars throughout much of 2020 to fund the country’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs in violation of international law, according to a confidential United Nations report. The document accused the regime of leader Kim Jong Un of conducting “operations against financial institutions and virtual currency exchange …

Google says North Korea-backed hackers sought cyber research
3 years, 11 months ago

Google says North Korea-backed hackers sought cyber research

Live Mint  

SEOUL: Google says it believes hackers backed by the North Korean government have been posing as computer security bloggers and using fake accounts on social media while attempting to steal information from researchers in the field. Experts say the attacks reflect North Korean efforts to improve its cyber skills and be able to breach widely used computer products, such as …

How North Korean Hackers Rob Banks Around the World
4 years, 10 months ago

How North Korean Hackers Rob Banks Around the World

Wired  

The bills are called supernotes. Many observers tie the fake bills to North Korea, and some even hold former leader Kim Jong-Il personally responsible, citing a supposed order he gave in the 1970s, early in his rise to power. At its peak, the counterfeiting effort apparently yielded at least $15 million per year for the North Korean government, according to …

Cryptocurrency fraud, thefts surge to $1.2 billion in three months: Report
5 years, 8 months ago

Cryptocurrency fraud, thefts surge to $1.2 billion in three months: Report

Live Mint  

New York: Losses from the theft of cryptocurrencies from exchanges and fraud-related activities surged in the first quarter of the year to $1.2 billion, or 70% of the level for all of 2018, cyber security firm CipherTrace said on Tuesday. In the first quarter of 2019, theft of digital currencies from exchanges and scams totalled $356 million, while losses from …

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