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DoJ attorney General John Ashcroft made no secret of new charges that it filed against a state-sponsored group, Lazarus. Over $1.2 billion in cryptocurrencies and fiat have allegedly been fraudulently expropriated in coordinated cyber-heists by a clandestine hacker group.
Cybercriminals of North Korea have developed and deployed malicious crypto apps as well.
According to the announcement, law enforcement expanded charges to Park Jin Hyok, a North Korean military hacker, from his involvement in hacking Sony in 2018, deploying Wannacry ransomware attacks, and other financial cyber thefts.
A new indictment unsealed by the DOJ also cited Jon Chang Hyo and Kim Il as part of the new measures to be taken by the DOJ. It has also been reported that three hackers belong to the Reconnaissance General Bureau (RGB), a North Korean military intelligence agency.
The Lazarus Group codename is the U.S. government's indication of the North Korean military hacking groups.
During a counterintelligence operation, it was determined that the North Korean regime's defense contractors have been participating in several crypto-related cyber crimes since 2014.
The DOJ said Lazarus Group had developed advanced crypto-attacks from March 2018 to September 2020. Some examples of these apps are Celas Trade Pro, Worldbit-bot, icryptofx, Union Crypto Trader, Kupay Wallet, Coingo Trade, Dorusio, Cryptoneuro Trader, and Ants2whale.
Hackers Were Involved in a $75 Million Theft of a Slovenian Crypto Company
Law enforcement revealed a case related to an unnamed Slovenian crypto company. Per the court documents, the hackers participated in the theft of $75 million from such a firm in December 2017.
They were also involved in a $24.9 million theft at an Indonesian bitcoin exchange in September 2018.
Paul Abbate, FBI deputy director, provided some comments on DOJ's announcement:
The ongoing targeting, compromise, and cyber-enabled theft by North Korea from global victims was met with the outstanding, persistent investigative efforts of the FBI in close collaboration with U.S. and foreign partners. By arresting facilitators, seizing funds, and charging those responsible for the hacking conspiracy, the FBI continues to impose consequences and hold North Korea accountable for its/their criminal cyber activity.
John C. Demers, assistant attorney general of the DOJ's National Security Division, told the Associated Press that Lazarus Group is believed to be the "world's leading bank robbers" today.
News.Bitcoin.com reported recently, a panel of experts at the United Nations stated that North Korea had amassed $316 million in cryptos from various cyberattacks on crypto exchanges and financial institutions.
Why does the U.S. Department of Justice announce the Lazarus Group case? Feel free to share your opinion in the comments section below.
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