TechFlow reports, according to a Chainalysis report released Thursday, North Korean hackers are adopting new money laundering techniques and increasingly using cross-chain bridges.
The North Korean hacking group Lazarus Group previously actively used the Tornado Cash mixing protocol and the Sinbad mixer, but has now shifted to a new mixer called YoMix. In 2023, funds flowing into YoMix increased fivefold, with about one-third originating from wallets linked to cryptocurrency hacks.
Chainalysis also noted that cross-chain bridge protocols have recently become increasingly popular among cybercriminals, receiving $743.8 million worth of cryptocurrency from criminal-related addresses in 2023—more than double the $31.22 million received in 2022.
Chainalysis stated that in 2023, blockchain wallets involved in illicit activities sent $22.2 billion worth of cryptocurrency to various platforms and services, including exchanges, mixers, and DeFi platforms. This figure is significantly lower compared to $31.5 billion in 2022. Mixers appear to have become less popular in cybercrime, receiving only $504 million worth of cryptocurrency in 2023, down from $1 billion in 2022.
