Washington: In one of the first incidents, the United States authorities have alleged that North Korean-tied hackers executed a $620-million cryptocurrency heist last month targeting players of the popular Axie Infinity game.
The recent hack has been claimed to be one of the biggest in the world which has raised several questions about security in the crypto industry.
The FBI in a statement said, “Through our investigations we were able to confirm Lazarus Group and APT38, cyber actors associated with (North Korea), are responsible for the theft.”
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It may be mentioned that the same group was accused of hacking into Sony Pictures Entertainment as revenge for the satirical film “The Interview,” that “mocked” North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Reports suggest that North Korea’s cyber program dates back to at least the mid-1990s.
It is said to have a 6,000-strong cyber warfare unit, known as Bureau 121, that operates from several countries including Belarus, China, India, Malaysia and Russia, according to a 2020 US military report.
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North Korean hackers stole around $400-million worth of cryptocurrency through cyberattacks on digital currency outlets last year, blockchain data platform Chainalysis said in January.