CertiK Report: North Korean Hackers Caused ~60% of Digital Asset Thefts in 2025, Attack Pattern Shifts Toward 'Offline Infiltration'

Odaily, Web3 security firm CertiK has released the "Skynet North Korean Crypto Threat Report." Data shows that since 2016, North Korean hacking groups have accumulated approximately $6.75 billion in stolen digital assets. In 2025 alone, their thefts amounted to $2.06 billion in losses, accounting for nearly 60% of the total annual losses in the global crypto industry (including the $1.5 billion Bybit hack). As of early 2026, this threat trend continues, with losses attributable to them making up about 55%.

The report emphasizes that the North Korean hackers' attack patterns have fundamentally shifted, evolving from mere code vulnerability exploitation into a state-level attack system combining social engineering, deep supply chain attacks, and 'physical infiltration.' In the recent Drift protocol incident, attackers even spent six months infiltrating offline industry conferences, building trust through real financial transactions and personal interactions before launching the attack.

CertiK security experts warn that in the face of such systemic attacks, purely technical defenses are proving inadequate. Crypto institutions urgently need to fully implement a 'zero-trust' hiring model, reinforce third-party supply chains, establish fund circuit breaker mechanisms, and collaborate with professional security firms to build a full lifecycle defense system covering code auditing, round-the-clock risk monitoring, and on-chain anti-money laundering/KYT (Know Your Transaction) fund tracking.