The North Korea’s hackers allegedly stole $88,100 in Bitcoin (Bitcoin) from 2013 to 2015 as part of their efforts to increase the country’s hard currency.
According to Silicon Angle report, the hackers targeted exchange workers by sending them emails loaded with malware. The attack methodology was a “spear phishing” attack.
North Korean hackers pretended to be government authorities and servicemen.
“South Korean Bitcoin exchanges have been successfully hacked in the past, with potentially millions being stolen from Bithumb in July. North Korea hasn’t been directly linked to the hack but it is possible the country played a role in it, even if it’s more likely to be an indirect role such as hiring third parties to undertake the hack on its behalf,” the report reads.
Another report was published by Fire Eye Inc. (NASDAQ: FEYE) and confirmed the North Korean cyber attacks.
The company tracked North Korean hackers and noted their activity as they targeted three different exchanges in South Korea.
As it was previously reported by Insider.Pro, according to the intelligence research firm Recorded Future, Pyongyang may also be using its coal supplies for powering Bitcoin mines.
And the North Korean government might be using the digital currency in order to bypass sanctions.