FBI and Other Federal Agencies Identify Hacker Behind $308,000,000 Hack of DMM Crypto Exchange

North Korean hackers stole $308 million in Bitcoin (BTC) from Japanese cryptocurrency exchange DMM in May 2024, federal investigators confirmed Tuesday.

The FBI, Japan’s National Police Agency and the Department of Defense Cyber Crime Center identified the North Korean group known as “TraderTraitor” as responsible for the theft of 4,502.9 Bitcoin, according to a new press release from the FBI.

Investigators say the breach began in March when a hacker posed as a recruiter and sent a malicious GitHub link to an employee of Ginco, a DMM partner company. After the employee copied the link to their personal account, TraderTraitor gained system access and later impersonated the worker to infiltrate DMM’s communications.

The hackers then intercepted and modified a legitimate transaction request from DMM, authorities said.

The stolen funds were quickly transferred to wallets controlled by TraderTraitor, which officials have linked to North Korea’s government. The heist appears to be part of North Korea’s broader cryptocurrency theft campaign to generate revenue.

According to the press release, the international investigation highlights growing concerns about state-sponsored cybercrime targeting digital assets. Law enforcement officials say the case demonstrates the need for enhanced global cooperation against cyber threats.

In August, the blockchain security firm PeckShield said wallets associated with the hackers moved roughly 850 BTC worth more than $54 million to six different addresses in a week.

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