U.S authorities have disclosed that North Korean hackers are allegedly getting ready to cash out millions of dollars through a string of high-profile cryptocurrency breaches.
The Lazarus Group, also known as APT38 and “TraderTraitor,” which is supported by North Korea, stole hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of cryptocurrencies in recent blockchain activity, the FBI informed cryptocurrency companies on Tuesday.
The North Korean hackers are currently holding 1,580 Bitcoin, worth more than $40 million, in six different cryptocurrency wallets, according to the FBI, which reported that it has followed them during the previous 24 hours. These monies were taken during “several” bitcoin heists, according to the FBI.
In June, hackers stole virtual currency from Atomic Wallet by breaking into an estimated 5,500 client wallets and withdrawing more than $100 million in cash.
The Lazarus Group was reportedly behind the attack, according to blockchain analysis company Elliptic, which also noted that the laundering of the stolen cryptocurrency assets followed “a series of steps that exactly match those employed to launder the proceeds of past hacks perpetrated by Lazarus Group.”
The FBI also connected Lazarus Group hackers to the theft of $37 million from cryptocurrency wallet provider CoinsPaid and $60 million from centralised cryptocurrency payment system AlphaPo.
According to the FBI’s caution, the North Korean hackers are getting ready to withdraw the $40 million in monies they have stolen in the next few days.
The U.S. government has announced a $10 million reward for information on members of state-sponsored North Korean threat groups, Lazarus Group.
