The FBI has linked a record $6.3 billion theft from the cryptocurrency exchange Binance to a group it says is backed by North Korea, according to a Guardian report on the losses and the bureau's findings.
The Guardian reported that Binance says it has replaced 90% of the amount stolen and that withdrawals are expected to resume on Sunday. The report said the remaining 10% of tokens is less liquid, meaning it may take longer to resolve.
In a statement, the FBI said the attack was tied to "malicious cyber activity" by an entity known as TraderTraitor, according to a PBS NewsHour report by Bernard Condon of The Associated Press. That report said TraderTraitor is the same group behind a $1.5 billion Bybit hack last year, and it described the Binance theft as the biggest crypto hack in history.
NPR reported, in a story by Anthony Kuhn, that the FBI is attributing the $6.3 billion theft from Binance to North Korean hackers. The NPR story on the FBI attribution also noted that North Korea has prioritized cyber operations.
The reports differ slightly in wording. The Guardian described the group as backed by North Korea, while NPR described the hackers themselves as North Korean. The summaries of these reports do not describe the evidence the FBI relied on or the method of the attack.
Sources: The Guardian: Binance says 90% of losses from $6.3bn hack covered as FBI says North Korea behind attack; PBS NewsHour: FBI says North Korea was behind $6.3 billion Binance heist, the biggest crypto hack in history; NPR: FBI says North Korean hackers are behind the theft of $6.3B from Binance.