North Korean Hackers' $40 Million Bitcoin Stash Flagged By FBI – CryptoMode
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The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has recently identified six Bitcoin wallets associated with the North Korean-sponsored hacking entity Lazarus Group. Astoundingly, these wallets house an equivalent of 1,580 BTC, roughly valued at $40 million. This substantial sum is believed to be amassed from a series of cryptocurrency breaches in the preceding year.
Lazarus’ Wallet Addresses: A Cautionary Tale
Upon intensive scrutiny, the FBI unveiled these specific Bitcoin addresses as the resting places of the stolen funds:
- 3LU8wRu4ZnXP4UM8Yo6kkTiGHM9BubgyiG
- 39idqitN9tYNmq3wYanwg3MitFB5TZCjWu
- 3AAUBbKJorvNhEUFhKnep9YTwmZECxE4Nk
- 3PjNaSeP8GzLjGeu51JR19Q2Lu8W2Te9oc
- 3NbdrezMzAVVfXv5MTQJn4hWqKhYCTCJoB
- 34VXKa5upLWVYMXmgid6bFM4BaQXHxSUoL
In light of this revelation, the FBI sounded an alarm bell. They urge cryptocurrency businesses to be particularly vigilant. Specifically, there’s an anticipation of potential attempts by the group to liquidate these assets. The bureau succinctly advised, “Private sector entities should inspect the blockchain data linked to these addresses. Remain on high alert against direct or indirect transactions with these.”
The FBI Follows The Rampage of Lazarus
Over the years, Lazarus Group has audaciously executed numerous cryptocurrency heists, pilfering crypto assets valued in billions. A staggering estimation by TRM Labs puts their ill-gotten crypto bounty at nearly $2 billion since 2018. Their most rampant phase was in 2022. In that period alone, they allegedly siphoned off crypto assets nearing a billion dollars.
Particularly in 2022, the decentralized finance (DeFi) world was rattled with monumental breaches. Notably, Lazarus Group was pinpointed as the orchestrator of massive hacks. These include the Harmony’s Horizon bridge debacle and a colossal $625-million breach on the Ethereum-anchored sidechain, Ronin Bridge.
Blockchain’s Double-Edged Sword
The soaring incidents of crypto-linked breaches can be attributed to escalating sophistication in hacker methodologies. However, the inherent design of blockchain technology poses a formidable hurdle for these cyber marauders. The transparent nature of its public ledger facilitates precise tracking of fund movements.
Multiple instances have seen cohesive collaboration between law enforcement agencies like the FBI and cryptocurrency businesses. Together, they have successfully immobilized assets linked to nefarious activities.
Case in point: In February of the current year, crypto giants Huobi and Binance intervened. They froze a combined $1.4 million in crypto assets traceable to North Korea. Similarly, a jaw-dropping $63 million, compromised in the Harmony Bridge heist, faced a freeze on various crypto trading platforms.
None of the information on this website is investment or financial advice. CryptoMode is not responsible for any financial losses sustained by acting on information provided on this website.
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