North Korean hackers "Sapphire Sleet" disguised as recruiters and investors, stole 10 million dollars in cryptocurrency within six months

On November 28, Microsoft detailed in a blog post about a group of North Korean hackers, known as "Sapphire Sleet", who disguise themselves as recruiters and venture capitalists with the aim to steal cryptocurrency from individuals and companies. After making initial contact or baiting their targets, the North Korean hackers would arrange a virtual meeting that is actually designed not to load properly.

In scenarios where they impersonate VCs, victims are forced to download malicious software disguised as tools for fixing the virtual meeting. In activities where they pose as recruiters, potential candidates are asked to download and complete a skill assessment which actually contains malware. Once installed, this malware can access other information on the computer including cryptocurrency wallets. Microsoft stated that within just six months, these hackers have stolen at least $10 million worth of cryptocurrency.