The Lazarus Group: Responsible for the Stake Crypto Casino Hack
You may be interested to know that in a press release on September 6, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) revealed that the North Korea-backed hacker group, Lazarus, was the mastermind behind the attack on the popular crypto casino, Stake.
Stake detected unauthorized transactions on September 4, leading to a temporary suspension of withdrawals and deposits. Unfortunately, before the situation was brought under control, the hackers managed to steal a staggering $41 million worth of digital assets.
Several blockchain security firms, along with the FBI, have confirmed that the attackers drained funds from Stake using Ethereum, BNB Chain, and Polygon.
Identifying the Culprits and Their Techniques
In their investigation, federal authorities have identified 33 wallets, including 22 Bitcoin addresses, connected to the Stake hack. These wallets either received funds directly from Stake’s hot wallets or were used to siphon off illegal gains through various networks.
ARKHAM and CertiK, reputable security organizations, discovered that the hackers funneled the stolen funds to Avalanche, subsequently converting them into Bitcoin. Presently, the attackers hold $36 million across Ethereum, BNB Chain, and Polygon.
The Prolific Lazarus Group
Did you know that the Lazarus Group, also known as APT38, is a notorious gang of cyber criminals and hackers allegedly funded by the North Korean government? Shockingly, this organization has already stolen close to $2 billion from crypto platforms and digital asset service providers since 2022.
In addition to the Stake hack, authorities have attributed several other high-profile crypto heists to Lazarus. These include the $100 million exploit of Atomic Wallet, the $100 million attack on Harmony’s Horizon bridge, and the theft of over $600 million from Sky Mavis’ Ronin bridge.
It is important to note that the attack on Ronin remains one of the largest exploits ever witnessed in the crypto space.
According to reports, Lazarus also managed to steal a combined total of $97 million from crypto payment processors Alphapo and CoinsPaid.
OFAC’s Sanctions and Alleged Ties to Tornado Cash
Interestingly, in August 2022, the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed sanctions on the privacy tool Tornado Cash due to suspected links with Lazarus. The OFAC claimed that Lazarus utilized Tornado Cash to launder hundreds of millions of dollars in illicit wealth.
Hot Take:
The activities of hacking groups like Lazarus highlight the ongoing challenges faced by the crypto industry in terms of security and regulation. It is crucial for individuals and organizations to prioritize robust security measures and adhere to regulatory frameworks to safeguard their digital assets.
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