Lazarus Group: Crypto Scams, Hacks, and State-Sponsored Cyber Threats

When you hear about a crypto exchange getting wiped out overnight, chances are Lazarus Group, a North Korean state-sponsored hacking collective known for targeting financial systems and stealing billions in cryptocurrency. Also known as APT38, it operates like a military unit with coders, social engineers, and money launderers working in sync. This isn’t random hacking—it’s a coordinated, well-funded operation backed by a government that needs hard currency to bypass sanctions.

The Lazarus Group doesn’t just steal. They plan. They’ve hit exchanges like Binance, KuCoin, and the Ronin Network, walking away with over $2 billion since 2017. Their favorite trick? Fake job offers to get insiders to install malware. Or they exploit outdated software on crypto platforms, like unpatched wallets or weak multi-sig setups. Once inside, they move fast—draining funds, mixing them through chain-hopping, and cashing out through P2P markets or unregulated exchanges in places like Iran or Venezuela. They don’t care about anonymity—they care about results. And they’ve gotten better over time, learning from every failed attempt.

What’s scary is how often these attacks go unnoticed until it’s too late. The group uses the same tactics across sectors: phishing, supply chain hacks, and even fake airdrops to lure victims. If you’ve seen a scam that looks too clean, too organized, or too well-timed—it might not be a random scammer. It could be Lazarus. Their connection to North Korea means they’re not after quick cash. They’re building long-term financial infrastructure for a sanctioned regime. That’s why they target DeFi protocols, bridges, and even gaming tokens—anything with liquidity.

What you’ll find in the posts below aren’t just random crypto horror stories. They’re real cases tied to the same playbook Lazarus uses: fake exchanges like Unielon and TaurusEX, dead airdrops like JF and FEAR, and token scams with no team or whitepaper—like eMetals and ALF. These aren’t just bad projects. They’re often fronts. Money trails lead back to the same wallets, the same obfuscation tactics, the same lack of transparency. If you’re trying to avoid getting ripped off, understanding Lazarus isn’t about geopolitics. It’s about recognizing patterns. And the patterns are everywhere.