North Korean Hackers Stole Nearly $400 Million in 2021: Chainalysis Reports
A recent report by blockchain forensics company Chainalysis stated that cybercriminals in North Korea stole bitcoin and Ether, worth almost $400 million but still have millions worth of stolen cryptocurrency funds unlaundered. Almost $400 Million Theft Recorded in 2021 The Chainalysis report published January 13, 2022, stated that the funds were stolen following attacks on a minimum of seven crypto exchanges. Also, the company believes most of the attacks were possibly conducted by the infamous cybercriminal organization known as the Lazarus Group. According to the blockchain forensics firm, the number of North Korean-affiliated hacks rose from four in 2020 to seven in 2021. Also, the value of the hack increased 40%, with Chainalysis calling 2021 a “banner year” for these perpetrators, considering the price performance of Bitcoin and Ethereum. The hackers employed methods such as code exploits, phishing, malware, advanced social engineering, and code exploits to steal funds from exchanges with porous security systems. Interestingly, bitcoin accounted for less than a quarter of the stolen funds, with 20% of BTC stolen in 2021 when measuring the dollar value. Meanwhile, Ether made up more than half of the total loot with 58%, while other altcoins and ERC-20 tokens made up 22%. North Korean Hackers Prefer Mixers to