Chosun Ilbo, a major South Korean newspaper, on Saturday reported that according to a South Korean spy agency, North Korean Hackers were behind the theft of about $6.99 million (7.6 billion won) worth of cryptocurrencies this year, which now amount to almost $82.7 million (90 billion won).
The report said that these attacks included the theft of cryptocurrencies from accounts at exchanges Yapizon (now called Youbit), and Coinis, in April and September.
According to the report by the newspaper, the leaks of the personal information of about 36,000 accounts from Bitthumb, a major cryptocurrency exchange, in June were also connected with North Korean hackers, as discovered by the country’s National Intelligence Service (NIS).
Again citing NIS, Chosun Ilbo also reported that these hackers had demanded around $5.5 million (6 billion won) in return for deleting the stolen information.
These hackers were also responsible for another attack on about 10 other exchanges in October which was stopped by Korea Internet Security Agency (KISA), as per the report.
The newspaper also reported that according to NIS, the malware used in the emails to hack the exchanges were made with a similar method to the one used in hacking Sony Pictures in 2014 and the Central Bank of Bangladesh in 2016 and that the email ids used in the attacks were also North Korean.
The report said that these attacks included the theft of cryptocurrencies from accounts at exchanges Yapizon (now called Youbit), and Coinis, in April and September.
According to the report by the newspaper, the leaks of the personal information of about 36,000 accounts from Bitthumb, a major cryptocurrency exchange, in June were also connected with North Korean hackers, as discovered by the country’s National Intelligence Service (NIS).
Again citing NIS, Chosun Ilbo also reported that these hackers had demanded around $5.5 million (6 billion won) in return for deleting the stolen information.
These hackers were also responsible for another attack on about 10 other exchanges in October which was stopped by Korea Internet Security Agency (KISA), as per the report.
The newspaper also reported that according to NIS, the malware used in the emails to hack the exchanges were made with a similar method to the one used in hacking Sony Pictures in 2014 and the Central Bank of Bangladesh in 2016 and that the email ids used in the attacks were also North Korean.