$1.7 Billion Stolen in Cryptocurrency Hacks in 2023: Analysis

$1.7 Billion Stolen in Cryptocurrency Hacks in 2023: Analysis

January 25, 2024 at 11:48AM

In 2023, $1.7 billion in cryptocurrency was stolen, down from $3.7 billion in 2022. Decentralized financial systems (DeFi) were targeted, with $1.1 billion stolen, a 64% decrease. North Korean hackers stole slightly over $1 billion, with the number of attacks increasing. Cybersecurity measures are improving, with better collaboration between crypto platforms and law enforcement.

Key takeaways from the meeting notes:

– In 2023, a total of $1.7 billion worth of cryptocurrency were stolen due to cryptocurrency platform hacks, a significant decrease from $3.7 billion in 2022 and $3.3 billion in 2021.
– The number of incidents increased from 219 in 2022 to 231 in 2023, despite the decrease in total funds stolen.
– The drop in total funds stolen is attributed to hacker attacks targeting decentralized financial systems (DeFi), with the amount stolen from DeFi protocols decreasing by 64% year-over-year.
– Notable DeFi and centralized services (CeFi) hacks in 2023 included Euler Finance, Mixin Network, Poloniex Exchange, HTX, Curve Finance, CoinEx, and Kyber Network.
– North Korea-linked hackers stole slightly over $1 billion in 2023, down from $1.7 billion in the previous year, despite an increase in the number of attacks.
– Chainalysis highlighted that attackers are becoming more sophisticated, but crypto platforms are also improving their security and responses to attacks.
– Prompt action by crypto platforms after exploits can aid law enforcement in seizing frozen funds and gathering information about accounts and users, contributing to a potential decline in funds stolen from crypto hacks over time.

Additionally, the notes reference related reports on North Korean hackers’ cryptocurrency theft, ransomware campaigns, and the Horizon Bridge heist attributed to North Korean hackers.

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