FBI links North Korean hackers to $400 million crypto theft scheme
Why it matters: Investigators say more than 900 victims were targeted through fake video calls that planted malware and exposed wider crypto networks.
The FBI linked a North Korea-backed hacking operation to more than $400 million in cryptocurrency theft over the past 18 months, describing the campaign as a social-engineering scheme called FaceStealer. Investigators said the hackers used fake or hijacked social media accounts to lure people in crypto and web3 into video meetings on impostor versions of Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet. During the calls, victims were prompted to click an audio “fix” that installed malware, giving attackers access to contacts and apps. US authorities said the operation has hit more than 900 victims and relied on recorded or AI-generated video to build trust. The FBI said proceeds from such thefts help fund North Korea’s weapons programs.