North Korea-linked hackers reportedly attacked a record number of cryptocurrency platforms and stole more than one billion dollars’ worth of crypto assets last year.

According to a report from the blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis on Wednesday, North Korea hacked into global crypto platforms around 20 times last year, the most since related data was first collected in 2016.

The report said that although the number of attacks rose to 20 last year, the value of stolen assets, about one billion dollars in 2023, is lower than the year before, when a record one-point-seven billion dollars was stolen by hackers linked to Pyongyang.

The amount stolen last year is still more than double the 429 million dollars of cryptocurrency taken from nine platforms in 2021.

Chainalysis said that North Korea-linked hacks have been on the rise over the past few years, with cyber-espionage groups such as Kimsuky and Lazarus Group utilizing various malicious tactics to acquire large amounts of digital assets.

[Photo : YONHAP News]