Lazarus Hackers Group Use LinkedIn To Launch Phishing Fraud

JAKARTA - In the midst of rapid technological developments, cybersecurity is a major concern, especially in the crypto sector. Recently, a report from SlowMist revealed that hacker group Lazarus, thought to be from North Korea, had used LinkedIn to run a phishing campaign.

They disguised themselves as partners of Fenbushi Capital, a venture capital firm based in Shanghai, to attract victims with investment promises and business meetings.

The Lazarus group is no stranger to aggressive cyber action. They have a long record of attacking the crypto industry, including a massive hack into the Ronin Network which resulted in a loss of US$600 million (around Rp9.75 trillion) in March 2022. According to data from Recorded Future, in the last six years, the group managed to divert funds of around US$3 billion (around Rp48.75 trillion) in cryptocurrency.

Further analysis by Chainalysis showed that of such a amount, 1.1 billion US dollars (approximately Rp17.85 trillion) came from a decentralized financial platform (DeFi). These findings are in accordance with reports from the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which confirms that Lazarus has exploited the DeFi protocol for their own benefit.

In response to this illegal activity, the US Treasury Department has taken firm steps by imposing new sanctions. They targeted North Korea's cyber operations and added Sinbad, which was involved in Lazarus' stolen crypto money laundering, to the list of special sanctions for the Foreign Asset Control Office (OFAC).

This case highlights the challenges facing the crypto industry in countering cyber threats. With the increased efforts of the authorities to disrupt this criminal network, it is important for individuals and businesses operating in the digital asset space to remain vigilant and implement strong cybersecurity measures.

With increasingly sophisticated and diverse attacks, the Lazarus group continues to be a real threat to the security of digital assets. The international community and stakeholders in the crypto sector must work together to develop an effective strategy in preventing and responding to this threat, in order to maintain integrity and trust in the global crypto ecosystem.