{
  "id": 17356016,
  "title": "North Korean hackers linked to crypto thefts among world's best, experts say",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/31/north-korean-hackers-linked-to-crypto-thefts-among-worlds-best-17356016",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-10-31T06:18:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Economic Times Tech",
    "slug": "economic-times-tech",
    "url": "https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/technology/north-korean-hackers-linked-to-crypto-thefts-among-worlds-best-experts-say/articleshow/135391045.cms"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "North Korean hackers are believed to be responsible for a massive $6.3 billion cryptocurrency theft from Binance, according to cybersecurity experts. The proceeds from this heist are assisting North Korea's weapons programs, say those in the cybersecurity field. Blockchain investigation firms TRM Labs and Chainalysis blame the theft on a North Korean hacking group known as TraderTraitor, identified in a 2022 joint warning from the FBI, CISA and US Treasury. This group employed malicious software and other tactics to target IT staff and developers at cryptocurrency companies. North Korea has reportedly stolen at least $6.75 billion in cryptocurrency since 2022, including the $1.5 billion ByBit exchange hack in February 2025 and $387 million from Bitget in September, bringing the total stolen to around $13.5 billion, said cybersecurity researcher Michael Barnhart. Binance is working to freeze some of the stolen cryptocurrency, with around $3 billion located so far. TraderTraitor is considered North Korea's most capable hacking group, specializing in financial targets and staffed by experienced operators from the regime's cyber programs. The group targets developers and IT staff at financial institutions through malware or fake job offers, gaining access to login credentials and sensitive data. After the theft, the hackers pass the stolen funds to Chinese organized crime groups. North Korean cybercrime is considered a global issue, with the country increasingly relying on cybercrime to fund its nuclear and military programs, according to the US State Department.",
  "summary": "Blockchain investigation firms TRM Labs and Chainalysis attribute the heist to a North Korean hacking group known as \"TraderTraitor,\" a name used in a 2022 joint warning from the FBI, CISA and US Treasury that described how hackers used malicious software and other tricks to target software developers and IT staff at cryptocurrency companies.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Hindu - Sci-Tech",
        "title": "North Korean hackers linked to crypto thefts among world's best, experts say",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/31/north-korean-hackers-linked-to-crypto-thefts-among-worlds-best",
        "published": "2026-10-31T04:07:44.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}