North Korea's army of world-class hackers is secret weapon that took down Binance

North Korea's elite hackers, recruited from middle school, are responsible for the Binance crypto hack that netted $6.3 billion, according to the FBI and Binance. The program selects 150-200 students annually for computer science training, with top performers becoming military hackers who receive apartments in Pyongyang and hard currency awards.

North Korea's elite hackers, recruited from middle school and trained for cyber warfare, are responsible for the Binance crypto hack that netted $6.3 billion, according to the FBI and Binance. The program, more than a decade old, selects 150-200 of the smartest middle school students each year to study computer engineering. A fraction become hackers in a military cyber unit that employs about 8,400 people, per South Korea's 2024 estimate. Hackers receive perks including apartments in Pyongyang, hard currency awards, and party membership, but face grueling hours and constant surveillance. North Korea has denied responsibility for the Binance hack, calling such accusations fabricated political provocations. The article notes that state backing makes these hackers more dangerous, as they face no consequences for repeated attacks.