North Korea ‘aggressively’ targeting crypto industry to steal assets, FBI warns | NK News
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September 19, 2026Sep 19, 2026

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North Korea ‘aggressively’ targeting crypto industry to steal assets, FBI warns

US alert says ‘highly tailored’ DPRK campaigns are crafted around targets’ personal details and can even fool experts

North Korea is “aggressively” targeting the global cryptocurrency industry with “highly tailored” social engineering campaigns that seek to deploy malware and steal virtual assets, the FBI warned in a public service announcement on Tuesday. 

DPRK cybercriminals use “complex and elaborate” social engineering schemes against employees of decentralized finance and cryptocurrency businesses and often compromise “victims with sophisticated technical acumen,” according to the release

“Given the scale and persistence of this malicious activity, even those well versed in cybersecurity practices can be vulnerable to North Korea’s determination to compromise networks connected to cryptocurrency assets,” the FBI stated.

According to the