North Korea Targeting Japanese Crypto Exchanges

Japanese cryptocurrency businesses have been in the crosshairs of North Korean hackers for years

According to a report by The Japan News, which cites information provided by the National Police Agency, several Japanese exchanges have suffered from cyberattacks conducted by the notorious Lazarus Group, which is believed to be directly controlled by the North Korean government.

The employees of affected companies were tricked into opening phishing emails sent by hackers. Their computers ended up getting infected with viruses.

It was identified that Lazarus was behind the hacking incidents after an investigation that was conducted by regional police and the NPA’s cybercrime unit.

North Korean hackers have been attacking Japanese businesses for several years.

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The NPA deliberately made all the details about the recent wave of attacks public in order to spread awareness.

As reported by U.Today, the burgeoning cryptocurrency sector in Southeast Asia has been the main target of North Korean hackers for a long period of time.

The authoritarian state uses stolen crypto in order to fund its weapons programs after being slapped with a litany of sanctions.

Lazarus was responsible for some of the biggest hacks of 2022, including the Ronin heist.

North Korean hackers would often rely on the Tornado Cash mixer in order to launder their funds, which prompted the U.S. government to ban the cryptocurrency tumbler.