PANews reported on May 12th that Web3 security company CertiK released the "Skynet North Korean Crypto Threat Report." Data shows that since 2016, North Korean hacking groups have stolen approximately $6.75 billion in digital assets. In 2025 alone, their thefts are projected to cause $2.06 billion in losses, accounting for nearly 60% of the global crypto industry's total annual losses (including the $1.5 billion Bybit theft). This threat trend is expected to continue into early 2026, accounting for approximately 55% of the total losses.
The report emphasizes that North Korean hackers' attack patterns have undergone a fundamental shift, evolving from simple code vulnerability exploitation to a state-level attack system combining social engineering, deep supply chain attacks, and "physical penetration." In the recent Drift protocol incident, attackers even spent six months infiltrating offline industry conferences, building trust through real funds and interpersonal interactions before launching their attack.
CertiK security experts warn that simple technical defenses are insufficient against this level of systemic attack. Crypto institutions urgently need to fully implement a "zero trust" hiring model, strengthen third-party supply chains, establish funding circuit breaker mechanisms, and collaborate with professional security agencies to build a full lifecycle defense system covering code auditing, 24/7 risk monitoring, and on-chain anti-money laundering/KYT (Know Your Transaction) fund tracking.
