US DOJ Dismantles North Korean Crypto Theft Scheme

The United States Department of Justice has disrupted a North Korean hacking operation that utilized artificial intelligence to steal cryptocurrencies. The scheme, identified by the FBI as FaceStealer, caused losses exceeding 400 million dollars over the past 18 months.

The criminals used recorded videos and deepfakes of trusted contacts during video calls to gain the victims' confidence. After establishing contact, the attackers simulated technical glitches to induce the target to click on malicious links. This procedure installed control software that allowed for the draining of digital wallets and access to internal systems.

The FBI obtained warrants to seize over 900 webcam recordings used in the scam. The investigation linked the activities to groups such as Sapphire Sleet and APT38. These agents focus specifically on open-source software developers to facilitate supply chain attacks.

In parallel, American authorities are advancing in the recovery of funds from the Binance attack. The government obtained judicial authorization to seize 1.2 billion dollars related to the 6.4 billion dollar theft that occurred in October. The North Korean regime denies any involvement in the events cited by the Department of Justice.

The sophistication of artificial intelligence-based attacks may raise cybersecurity costs for companies in the sector and increase regulatory pressure on the custody of digital assets.