The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) TraderTraitor-affiliated actors, also known as the Lazarus Group or APT38, have been traced by the FBI for stealing hundreds of millions of dollars in cryptocurrency. This has prompted the FBI to issue a warning to cryptocurrency companies about the malicious blockchain activity associated with these threat actors.
In its investigation, the FBI discovered that the Lazarus Group had moved 1,580 bitcoins from various cryptocurrency heists and currently holds the funds in six different bitcoin addresses. The group has the potential to cash out the stolen cryptocurrency, which amounts to more than $40 million.
The cybercrime group, Lazarus Group, has been involved in several high-profile heists in June, spanning multiple countries. These include the theft of $60 million worth of virtual currency from Alphapo, $37 million from CoinsPaid, and $100 million from Atomic Wallet.
To address this ongoing threat, the FBI recommends that private sector entities thoroughly examine these specific bitcoin addresses and any associated blockchain data. It is crucial for these entities to be vigilant in guarding against transactions originating from the identified addresses. The addresses to be aware of are as follows:
1. 3LU8wRu4ZnXP4UM8Yo6kkTiGHM9BubgyiG
2. 39idqitN9tYNmq3wYanwg3MitFB5TZCjWu
3. 3AAUBbKJorvNhEUFhKnep9YTwmZECxE4Nk
4. 3PjNaSeP8GzLjGeu51JR19Q2Lu8W2Te9oc
5. 3NbdrezMzAVVfXv5MTQJn4hWqKhYCTCJoB
6. 34VXKa5upLWVYMXmgid6bFM4BaQXHxSUoL
In a statement, the FBI emphasized its commitment to expose and combat the DPRK’s illicit activities, including cybercrime and virtual currency theft, which are used to generate revenue for the regime. The agency encourages individuals with any relevant information to contact their local FBI field office or the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.
This recent development highlights the growing challenge of cybercrime in the cryptocurrency space. Cryptocurrency companies and individuals must remain vigilant and implement robust security measures to safeguard their assets. It is crucial for companies to stay informed about emerging cybersecurity threats, vulnerabilities, data breaches, and trends in order to effectively protect themselves.
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