As a seasoned cybersecurity researcher with over two decades of experience under my belt, I can’t help but feel a chill run down my spine when reading about these North Korean hackers and their tactics against the crypto industry. My life has been a rollercoaster ride filled with countless encounters with various cyber threats, but these guys seem to have taken the art of social engineering to an entirely new level.


The FBI, which is part of the U.S. government, has warned the general public about persistent cyber-attacks originating from North Korea’s hacker groups, specifically targeting the cryptocurrency market and businesses involved in digital asset investments.

As per the findings, these assaults predominantly utilize advanced social manipulation strategies, making them effective against both cryptocurrency workers and knowledgeable market participants who are experienced in cybersecurity measures, despite their best efforts to remain secure.

N. Korean Hackers Target Crypto Firms

As an analyst, I’ve noticed that social engineering attacks can be intricate, sophisticated, and challenging to spot. It appears that the perpetrators have meticulously researched numerous players within or associated with the cryptocurrency sector. Preliminary indications suggest that these cybercriminals might be planning malicious cyber activities aimed at these companies, potentially leveraging their employees as a point of entry, a warning sign observed by the FBI during their surveillance.

In connection with businesses involved in or linked to the world of cryptocurrencies, the FBI warns that North Korea uses advanced strategies to pilfer cryptocurrency funds and poses a continuous danger to companies holding substantial amounts of cryptocurrency resources or services. The FBI issued this warning.

Prior to trying to illegally penetrate corporate systems and gadgets using employees, North Korean hacker teams often search for potential targets on social media, with a focus on professional networking and job-related websites.

Hackers tailor-make deceptive situations that seem attractive to their victims, using details about the person’s professional life, past, and business preferences to create personalized stories. For instance, they might fabricate job offers or investment opportunities that would be particularly enticing to the intended recipient.

Impersonators and “Normal” Requests

When the unscrupulous individuals first connect with their intended targets, they make an effort to keep the relationship going to foster a feeling of familiarity, trust, and legitimacy. Eventually, they launch their attacks, often catching victims off guard or when they’re in seemingly ordinary circumstances by transmitting malware to their devices or company systems.

In simpler terms, some apparently ordinary scenarios might involve demands to activate video call features that appear restricted based on a person’s location, instructions to download apps or run codes on company equipment or systems, proposals for pre-employment tests and troubleshooting exercises, and an emphasis on using specialized software for routine tasks.

Additionally, these assailants sometimes assume the identities of prominent figures, tech professionals, and recruiters on professional social media platforms.

To boost the authenticity of their imitations, these performers employ genuine-looking visuals, often swiping pictures from public social media accounts of the individuals being imitated. Additionally, they might create false images of urgent situations to prompt swift responses from their targeted victims, the agency noted.

The FBI advises cryptocurrency companies to stay vigilant, with any impacted parties taking necessary steps to resolve the problems before they lead to substantial damage.

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2024-09-09 00:38