North Korea's army of world-class hackers is secret weapon that took down Binance - BusinessWorld Online
Investigators say the group used social engineering and a compromised engineer laptop to steal $6.3 billion in 20 minutes, with $2.8 billion later frozen.
- On October 29, 2026, hackers stole $6.3 billion from Binance using a fake job interview to compromise staff devices. The Federal Bureau of Investigation attributed the attack to the North Korea-linked group TraderTraitor, though Pyongyang denied the claims.
- Since 2013, leader Kim Jong-un elevated cyber warfare as an "all purpose sword," investing in a pipeline selecting roughly 150 middle-school students annually for elite training at Moranbong College in Pyongyang.
- TraderTraitor employs "big game hunting" tactics targeting large vaults with AI-driven automation, said Park Seong-su, staff threat researcher at Zscaler. South Korea's National Intelligence Service estimated in 2024 that the North's cyber operations employ about 8,400 people.
- Successful hackers receive spacious apartments in Pyongyang and up to 30% of heist profits, yet face extreme psychological strain and strict monthly dollar targets. "There is always pressure to keep earning money," said Nam Bada, executive director of advocacy group PSCORE.
- These cyber thefts fund nearly 40% of the regime's weapons programs, according to United Nations experts. Analysts note operations will likely continue, as state backing shields North Korea's hackers from international enforcement consequences.
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74 Articles
For more than ten years, the Pyongyang regime has been funding its ballistic and nuclear program with "cybercass." North Korean pirates have successfully made the cryptocurrency industry their main target.
North Korea’s Binance hack raises global financial security concerns
Cybersecurity experts tell VOA that the recent North Korean hack of Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange is particularly concerning because of the speed of both the attack, and how quickly the hackers moved the assets through financial networks.
North Korea’s World-Class Hackers: The Secret Weapon Behind Binance’s Fall
North Korea has a program that rewards its top hackers with benefits like nice apartments in Pyongyang and large cash bonuses, despite harsh working conditions. These hackers are crucial to the country’s cyber operations, including the recent Binance crypto hack that stole $6.3 billion. Leader Kim Jong Un has created a group of skilled hackers […]
Cointelegraph
Binance Hackers Had 8-week Intrusion Window Before $6.3B Exploit: SEAL
North Korea-linked TraderTraitor may have had 8 weeks of access to Binance’s systems before conducting the record-setting hack on Oct. 29, according to the Security Alliance.
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