North Korean hackers steal $100M in cryptocurrency, launder $60M.
The FBI has recently blamed North Korean government-linked hackers for stealing $100 million in cryptocurrency from a California-based firm. It is believed that the money was being laundered to fund Pyongyang’s illicit nuclear and ballistic weapons program. The hackers had targeted a bridge, or a program that allows for the transfer of cryptocurrency, run by Harmony, a California-based cryptocurrency firm.
US agencies have also warned that North Koreans have posed as other nationalities to apply for work at such firms and send money back to Pyongyang. A CNN investigation found at least one cryptocurrency entrepreneur who unwittingly paid a North Korean tech worker tens of thousands of dollars.
The FBI has also blamed North Korean government-backed hackers for a roughly $600-million hack of a popular video game company last April. This is in addition to other digital heists that US officials worry Pyongyang will use to fund its illicit nuclear and ballistic weapons program.
The US government has been working to prevent and disrupt these cyber-enabled activities. The US Department of Treasury has also imposed sanctions on North Korean individuals and entities linked to the cyber-enabled activities.
The FBI has urged people to exercise caution when dealing with virtual currency firms, and to report any suspicious activity to law enforcement. These efforts are intended to protect individuals and businesses from falling victim to malicious cyber activity.
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