The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has confirmed the involvement of active hacker groups such as the Lazarus Group and APT38 from North Korea in a $600 million crypto-theft that took place in March. last March.
North Korean cybercriminals stole more than $400 million in 2021 alone.
A report published by the Interesting Engineering website says that according to the Federal Investigation Agency, these groups supported by the North Korean state began in the beginning of 2022 a bold operation in what is believed to be the largest theft of digital currencies ever.
The incident occurred on March 23, when cybercriminals attacked the "Ronin" network, which is used as a platform to play the famous "Axie Infinity" game.
The network protection system works by authenticating 9 identifiers, and it is a strong system that requires identifying at least 5 identifiers in order for the user to be able to deposit or withdraw.
The attackers managed to gain control of 4 network identifiers, and hacked to obtain the fifth identifier, which is commonly used by the Axi Infinity game network.
Using the five identifiers, the cyber attackers succeeded in forging fake withdrawals amounting to approximately $620 million, the FBI press release confirmed.
Supported hack
US investigations linked the theft to Lazarus and APT38 groups of hackers who have been linked to other hacks in the past.
Both groups are backed by the North Korean state and are believed to be part of the 6,000-strong state-run electronic warfare unit.
According to a United Nations report published earlier this year, the North Korean state is using stolen crypto assets to fund a missile development program.
Two weeks ago, the country tested an ICBM with the highest range in its history and conducted a series of missile tests last year as well.