US, Japan, South Korea warn of rising North Korean crypto hacking threats
The United States, Japan, and South Korea have issued a joint warning about the increasing threat from cryptocurrency hackers linked to North Korea, particularly the Lazarus Group. These hackers are implicated in major cyber thefts, including the $600 million Ronin network hack and the $230 million WazirX exchange hack. North Korean hackers pose a significant risk to the international financial system's integrity and stability, with aims to fund ballistic missile programs through cryptocurrency theft. In 2024, they stole over $1.34 billion in digital assets across 47 incidents, representing over 61% of total crypto thefts that year. The rise in sophisticated attacks indicates improved methods, with more frequent high-value hacks exceeding $50 million. The three nations emphasize collaboration between public and private sectors to combat these cybercrimes and recover stolen funds.
