N. Korea ramps up cyber theft following $2.3 bil. crypto haul: report

North Korea has refined its cryptocurrency hacking operations, carrying out fewer but far more lucrative attacks on major targets and deploying increasingly sophisticated laundering techniques to evade detection, according to a report by the blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis. In a preview of its Crypto Crime 2026 report, Chainalysis revealed that North Korean hackers siphoned a record $2.02 billion in cryptocurrency in 2025. This 51 percent surge from the previous year highlights the regime’s intensifying reliance on digital theft to bypass global sanctions and fund state priorities. The windfall brings the total amount stolen by Pyongyang-linked actors to approximately $6.75 billion since records began, underscoring a deepening crisis for international cybersecurity. While the number of confirmed attacks declined sharply, the overall value of thefts increased, driven by a handful of extraordinarily large breaches, the analysis found. “The year’s data highlight a shift toward fewer but larger thefts — with the biggest three hacks alone accounting for a majority of all servic