Hackers linked to North Korea are behind one of the world’s largest crypto thefts, according to the FBI. Hackers managed to loot about 620 million dollars (more than 570 million euros) last month by hacking into a popular online game. The money will benefit the North Korean regime, according to the FBI.
The hack hit it at the end of last month blockchain network Ronin, which is linked to the popular online game Axie Infinity. That Vietnamese game allows players to earn cryptos by trading avatars. The hackers managed to make clever use of a part of the software that is not always reliable.
The FBI reports that hacker groups APT38 and Lazarus are behind the theft. Lazarus rose to fame in 2014 when it hacked Sony in retaliation for the satirical film The Interview, which ridiculed North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Both groups are part of a decades-long cyber campaign by the North Korean government.
By looking at major platforms where cryptocurrencies are traded, the US Treasury Department is trying to figure out where the stolen money is being moved. A source within the ministry told Bloomberg news agency that sanctions are being considered against anyone who tries to support Kim’s regime through this form of money laundering.
A few weeks earlier, hackers on another blockchain platform managed to steal around $300 million in cryptocurrencies with a similar attack. The Treasury Department is said to be working on crypto cybersecurity guidelines to prevent such attacks in the future.
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