The FBI has issued a warning about an escalation of cyberattacks by North Korean hackers targeting employees in the decentralized technology sector, also known as Web3.
These sophisticated attacks specifically target companies involved in crypto and decentralized finance (DeFi) with the goal of stealing digital assets.
Elaborate Social Engineering Strategy
North Korean hackers employ highly complex social engineering strategies to deceive employees of these companies. These tactics, often difficult to detect, can even trick professionals with advanced technical skills.
The FBI emphasizes that these cybercriminals conduct extensive research on their targets before launching their attacks. They particularly focus on companies related to crypto ETFs, suggesting an intent to target entities managing significant amounts of digital assets.
Customized Scenarios to Gain Trust
Among the methods employed, North Korean hackers do not hesitate to impersonate influential members of the targeted company or create tailored scenarios based on the victim’s profile and interests. This approach aims to gain the employees’ trust in order to compromise the company’s networks. For example, they may ask the victim to download an allegedly harmless application on a device connected to the company’s network or participate in debugging exercises involving malicious code packages.
FBI Security Recommendations
To protect against these threats, the FBI advises Web3 companies not to store their crypto wallet information on devices connected to the internet. It is also recommended to avoid conducting debugging exercises on company computers and to implement identity verification systems for individuals via separate communication platforms.
These warnings come after the FBI revealed that North Korean hackers have been responsible for the loss of $3 billion in crypto assets since July 2024. One of their common tactics is to use fake job offers to access sensitive information within crypto companies.
