Washington (Web Desk): The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has revealed that hackers operating under North Korean state sponsorship stole more than $400 million worth of cryptocurrency over the past 18 months through identity theft and AI-generated fake video calls.
According to the FBI, the cyber attackers used an advanced technique called “Face Stealer” for the operation. The hackers posed as people known to their targets and invited them to join video calls, using deepfake technology to gain their trust. They then persuaded victims to open suspicious links under the false pretext of resolving a technical issue, resulting in malicious software being installed on their computers.
The investigative agency said the hackers gained access to victims’ contact lists and social media accounts, enabling them to target more people through further attacks. The FBI has also obtained webcam-recorded videos of more than 900 victims in connection with the operation.
According to the FBI, North Korea uses funds obtained through cryptocurrency theft to finance its illegal weapons programmes. However, Pyongyang denies these allegations.