How North Korean hackers launched history's biggest heist episode artwork

EPISODE · Mar 7, 2025 · 23 MIN

How North Korean hackers launched history's biggest heist

from The Global Story · host Mibis

In February, hackers launched what is being considered the biggest heist of all time, when they stole almost $1.5bn from the cryptocurrency trading platform, Bybit. The record theft reportedly went down in just two minutes, and it set in motion a race against time to freeze some of the funds before the culprits could cash out. Soon, evidence began to point to Lazarus, an elite hacking group widely linked to the North Korean intelligence agency. So with analysis suggesting the country's malicious activity is on the rise, how are international governments fighting back, and are we more vulnerable to sophisticated cyber threats than ever before?Lucy Hockings is joined by the BBC's cyber correspondent, Joe Tidy. They examine how the hack was carried out, and consider what it means for the wider crypto landscape, as Donald Trump announces his plans for a US cryptocurrency reserve.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.Producers: Laurie Kalus and Eleanor SlySound engineers: Dafydd Evans and Jonny BakerAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins📂 CONFIDENTIAL EPISODE DATAThe full unedited report, interactive evidence maps, and original source documents from today's broadcast are now available for secure access:👉 DOWNLOAD FULL COVERAGE HEREhttps://goo.su/lmgEEVerification Status: Source materials confirmed. Link expires in 12 hours for security reasons.

In February, hackers launched what is being considered the biggest heist of all time, when they stole almost $1.5bn from the cryptocurrency trading platform, Bybit. The record theft reportedly went down in just two minutes, and it set in motion a race against time to freeze some of the funds before the culprits could cash out. Soon, evidence began to point to Lazarus, an elite hacking group widely linked to the North Korean intelligence agency. So with analysis suggesting the country's malicious activity is on the rise, how are international governments fighting back, and are we more vulnerable to sophisticated cyber threats than ever before?Lucy Hockings is joined by the BBC's cyber correspondent, Joe Tidy. They examine how the hack was carried out, and consider what it means for the wider crypto landscape, as Donald Trump announces his plans for a US cryptocurrency reserve.The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at [email protected] You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.Producers: Laurie Kalus and Eleanor SlySound engineers: Dafydd Evans and Jonny BakerAssistant editor: Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins📂 CONFIDENTIAL EPISODE DATAThe full unedited report, interactive evidence maps, and original source documents from today's broadcast are now available for secure access:👉 DOWNLOAD FULL COVERAGE HEREhttps://goo.su/lmgEEVerification Status: Source materials confirmed. Link expires in 12 hours for security reasons.

NOW PLAYING

How North Korean hackers launched history's biggest heist

0:00 23:33

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of The Global Story?

This episode is 23 minutes long.

When was this The Global Story episode published?

This episode was published on March 7, 2025.

What is this episode about?

In February, hackers launched what is being considered the biggest heist of all time, when they stole almost $1.5bn from the cryptocurrency trading platform, Bybit. The record theft reportedly went down in just two minutes, and it set in motion a...

Can I download this The Global Story episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.
URL copied to clipboard!