North Korean Hackers Stole 400 Million USD in Crypto Using Deepfake Calls

North Korean hackers have stolen over 400 million USD in cryptocurrency in the past 18 months through a social-engineering scheme involving secretly recorded footage and AI deepfakes, according to the U.S. Justice Department. The scheme, named "FaceStealer" by the FBI, involves luring targets into video calls using accounts stolen from previous victims, then playing prerecorded footage of trusted contacts to gain their confidence. The hackers also create deepfake videos of prominent figures in the crypto industry to enhance the deception. Once the target is comfortable, attackers simulate a technical issue, offering a link to "fix" it, which installs malware instead. This allows hackers to drain crypto wallets or exploit access to other systems, sometimes waiting months before attacking. The FBI has seized over 900 webcam recordings of FaceStealer victims. The DOJ linked this operation to North Korean groups like Sapphire Sleet, BlueNoroff, and APT38, noting an increase in targeting open-source software developers for supply-chain attacks. Additionally, the DOJ announced it has obtained court authorization to seize or restrain over 1.2 billion USD of the 6.4 billion USD stolen in the record-breaking Binance hack attributed to the North Korean group TraderTraitor. North Korea has denied involvement, labeling the FBI's findings as political provocation. The U.S. has recently sanctioned 11 individuals linked to a North Korean IT-worker scheme that moved millions in crypto, highlighting the importance of crypto theft to North Korea's finances.

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