Hackers stole a record $3.8 billion worth of cryptocurrencies last year. According to a report by blockchain researcher Chainanalysis, hackers from North Korea, in particular, were very active.
The number of digital coins captured was 15 percent higher than in 2021, when hackers managed to steal $ 3.3 billion. According to the report, hackers linked by the United States to the North Korean government accounted for an estimated $1.7 billion in stolen cryptocurrencies, up from about $400 million in 2021.
The US says that north Korean hackers are focusing more on the crypto market to raise funds as international sanctions weigh down the country. The proceeds would be used, among other things, to finance North Korean weapons programs.
Last week, the FBI accused two more North Korean cybercrime groups of stealing $100 million in a June hack at Harmony Bridge’s crypto service. And Lazarus Group and APT38, online groups with ties to North Korea, are said to have stolen about $600 million in crypto coins in March after the hack of the video game Axie Infinity.
