North Korean Hackers Steal $270M from Crypto Platform in 6-Month Scam

A group of North Korean hackers just pulled off one of the most elaborate crypto heists ever, stealing $270 million after spending six months pretending to be legitimate traders.

The hackers first contacted Drift Protocol (a platform where people trade cryptocurrencies) at a conference in fall 2025. They claimed to be professional traders wanting to use Drift's services. What made this scam so convincing? The hackers:

• Met Drift team members face-to-face at multiple conferences around the world • Deposited over $1 million of their own money to appear legitimate • Had real conversations about trading strategies for months • Built actual working relationships with the Drift team

By April 1, 2026, after nearly six months of building trust, the hackers struck. They used malicious software to break into Drift's security systems and steal $270 million worth of cryptocurrency (digital money like Bitcoin).

Investigators identified the attackers as UNC4736, a hacking group linked to North Korea's government. This same group, also known as AppleJeus or Citrine Sleet, has targeted crypto companies before.

This attack shows how even experienced crypto companies can fall victim to sophisticated scams. The hackers didn't rush - they played the long game, building trust over months before stealing millions. It's a stark reminder that in the crypto world, even people you've met in person might not be who they claim to be.

This is an AI-generated summary. Read the original article at: https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/04/05/drift-says-usd270-million-exploit-was-a-six-month-north-korean-intelligence-operation