North Korean Hackers Steal Billions Through Crypto Heists and Fake Remote Jobs to Fund Nuclear Program, Report Reveals

North Korean hackers have siphoned off billions of dollars by breaching cryptocurrency exchanges and using false identities to secure remote tech jobs abroad, according to a new international assessment of the country’s cyber operations.

The 138-page report, released by the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team—a coalition including the U.S. and 10 allied nations—found that Pyongyang’s government directs these covert schemes to bankroll its nuclear weapons research and development. The group was established last year to track North Korea’s adherence to U.N. sanctions.

The findings reveal that North Korea has leveraged cryptocurrencies to launder illicit funds and procure military equipment, effectively evading global restrictions tied to its nuclear ambitions. Investigators noted that hackers linked to Pyongyang routinely deploy malware against international corporations and institutions, aiming to disrupt systems and exfiltrate sensitive data.

Despite its isolation and limited economic power, North Korea has made substantial investments in offensive cyber warfare, achieving a level of sophistication that rivals China and Russia, the report concluded. Unlike other major cyber actors such as China, Russia, and Iran, North Korea primarily uses its hacking operations as a financial lifeline—employing cyberattacks

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