North Korean hackers stole $3 billion in cryptocurrency for the DPRKʼs nuclear program

North Korean hackers have stolen over $3 billion in cryptocurrency since 2017. The stolen funds now finance more than half of North Koreaʼs nuclear and missile programs.

This is stated in the Microsoft report.

Last year alone, hackers stole from $600 million to a billion dollars.

Since 2023, Microsoft has identified three main North Korean hacker groups that pose a threat — Jade Sleet, Sapphire Sleet, and Citrine Sleet — and they have been particularly active in targeting cryptocurrency organizations.

In May 2024, experts identified another North Korean hacker group known as Moonstone Sleet. It developed a unique variant of the ransomware called FakePenny, which was used against organizations in the aerospace and defense industries to steal data. This behavior shows that North Korean hackers are not only aiming to steal money, but also to gather intelligence.

For more news and in-depth stories from Ukraine please follow us on X.