UN analysts have found that North Korean hackers are responsible for stealing between $630 million and more than $1 billion in crypto assets last year after attacking the networks of foreign aerospace and defense companies.
The report notes that hackers have begun to use more sophisticated schemes to steal funds, making it much more difficult to trace stolen crypto assets.. Hackers also aim to gain access to digital networks involved in cyberfinancing and steal potentially valuable information.
Cryptocurrency theft makes up a significant portion of North Korea's national economy, and North Korean hackers stole at least $1.7 billion in cryptocurrencies in 2022, according to Chainalysis.. Nevertheless, the UN believes that the main goal of hackers is information useful for the DPRK's weapons programs.
Earlier, Kaspersky Lab reported that the North Korean hacker group Lazarus has an offshoot of BlueNoroff, posing as venture capitalists who are interested in cryptocurrency startups.