North Korea-linked hackers attacked record number of crypto platforms: Report

North Korea-linked hackers attacked a record number of crypto platforms last year, stealing more than $1 billion worth of crypto assets, according to a report. report It was released on Wednesday.

According to a report by Chainalysis, North Korea hacked 20 cryptocurrency platforms last year, a higher rate than the company had recorded in the previous seven years.

“North Korea-related hacking has been on the rise in recent years, with cyber espionage groups such as Kimsky and the Lazarus Group using a variety of malicious tactics to acquire large amounts of crypto assets,” the report said. states.

Although the number of attacks increased to 20, the amount of cryptocurrency stolen in 2023 was just over $1 billion, compared to the previous year, when more than $1.7 billion was stolen by North Korea-linked hackers. low.

The 2023 amount is higher than estimates from blockchain intelligence firm TRM Labs, which reported that $600 million worth of cryptocurrencies were stolen by hackers with ties to North Korea.of report He noted that if additional hacks occur towards the end of the year and are carried out by North Korea-related hackers, the amount could exceed $700 million.

Last November, the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned cryptocurrency mixer Sinbad.io. According to reports in November, Sinbad is a cryptocurrency mixer that serves as the primary money laundering tool for the Lazarus Group, which is tied to the North Korean government. release.

Lazarus Group stole over $41 million in virtual currency from Stake.com, an online casino and gambling platform. Robbery committed by the FBI Confirmedoccurred in September 2023.

The agency noted that these actors have been involved in multiple high-profile international cryptocurrency heists.

Last June, around $60 million in cryptocurrencies were stolen from Alphapo and CoinsPaid. Just a few weeks ago, approximately $100 million in cryptocurrencies were stolen from Atomic Wallet.

Apart from crypto platforms, North Korean-aligned hackers stole approximately $428.8 million from DeFi platforms in 2023, according to a report by Chainalysis.