New trap from North Korean hackers: $400 million crypto profiteering!

NEWS CENTER / According to the BBC, US authorities claim that North Korean state-backed cyber hackers stole more than $ 400 million in crypto money by deceiving more than 900 people with fake video calls in the last 18 months.

This method, called "FaceStealer" by the FBI, targets professionals who develop open source software, especially those working in the cryptocurrency and Web3 sectors.

BEWARE OF THE 'SOUND IS DISTORTED' LIE!

According to the details shared by the FBI and the US Department of Justice, the fraud chain is progressing step by step. Hackers invite victims to video calls on fake (copy) versions of Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet through social media accounts they have hijacked or impersonated.

When the conversation begins, a pre-recorded video of a person the victim knows in real life plays on the screen. However, it is portrayed as if there was a deliberate sound problem in the conversation.

At this moment, a warning appears on the screen asking you to click on a link to fix the sound. When the link is clicked, the malware infiltrated the device and accesses the contacts and applications.

By secretly recording these fake conversations, hackers obtain new video material to trick their next victims.

RIGHT AFTER THE BIGGEST ROBBERY IN HISTORY

This announcement comes just a week after Binance, the world's largest crypto exchange, announced it had suffered a record $6.3 billion cyberattack over fake job interviews. While US law enforcement officials held North Korea-linked groups responsible for this attack, which is considered the largest crypto robbery in history, the Pyongyang administration denied the accusations.

'EVEN THE MOST EXPERIENCED CAN FOOL'

FBI Cyber Director Brett Leatherman pointed out that the North Korean regime has stolen billions of dollars of cryptocurrency in recent years to finance its illegal weapons programs.

FBI Los Angeles Field Office Deputy Director Patrick Grandy summarized the danger of the method with the following words: "This attack exploits the video conferencing platforms and personal relationships we rely on in daily life. It is effective enough to deceive even the most experienced and security-conscious users. If you cannot imagine a scenario where you could fall into this trap, you are not thinking creatively enough."