Today, the FBI Issued The BBC has issued a warning that North Korean hackers are targeting cryptocurrency exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the United States in an attempt to steal digital assets. The FBI said the hackers are using advanced social engineering techniques to breach the security of companies associated with these financial products.
According to the FBI, the DPRK has been carrying out highly targeted social engineering attacks on employees in the decentralized finance and cryptocurrency sectors. These attacks involve detailed pre-operational research and customized scenarios designed to exploit the victim’s specific interests and connections.
“North Korean malicious cyber actors have conducted research on a variety of cryptocurrency ETF-related targets over the past several months,” the FBI said. “This research included pre-operational preparations that suggest North Korean actors may attempt to conduct malicious cyber activities against businesses associated with cryptocurrency ETFs or other cryptocurrency-related financial products.”
The FBI has confirmed that North Korean cyber actors pose a continuing threat to organizations that manage large amounts of cryptocurrency. Their tactics include impersonating trusted contacts, creating fake scenarios involving job offers or investments, and spreading malware through prolonged, convincing interactions with their targets.
The agency urged cryptocurrency companies to adopt strict security measures, including multi-factor authentication, limiting access to sensitive information, and verifying the identities of contacts through multiple channels. The FBI also recommended that companies with access to large cryptocurrency holdings take additional precautions to protect their assets against these sophisticated cyber threats.