• North Korean hackers have attempted to launder additional $27 million in Ethereum (ETH) from the Harmony Bridge attack.
• The funds were sent to six exchanges using three main wallet addresses and some of the assets were frozen.
• The FBI recently confirmed that two groups of North Korean government hackers, the Lazarus Group and APT38, were behind the $100 million Harmony Bridge heist.
North Korean Hackers Launder Additional Funds
North Korean hackers responsible for the Harmony Bridge attack have attempted to launder an additional $27 million in Ethereum (ETH). ZachXBT, a Crypto Investigative Researcher, reported via Twitter on January 29th that two main wallet addresses had been used to move 17,278 ETH worth about $27 million from the exploit.
Exchanges Freeze Some of Assets
Upon receiving notification from ZachXBT, some exchanges acted quickly and part of the stolen assets were frozen. However, it is still unknown how much was frozen as each exchange has not disclosed exact details.
FBI Confirms North Korean Government Behind Exploit
The FBI recently reported that last year’s $100 million hack of Harmony Bridge was carried out by two groups of North Korean government hackers: the Lazarus Group and APT38.
Previous Attempts to Launder Funds
Previously, on January 13th, 2021 the Lazarus Group moved 41,000 Ether ($63.9 million) from this exploit in a similar manner as this recent attempt at laundering funds.
Conclusion
This incident serves as an example of how efforts are being made by law enforcement agencies around the globe to combat cybercrime and money laundering activities related to cryptocurrencies like Ethereum (ETH).