Octo Tempest is one of the most fatal cybercrime groups has added capabilities in the form of RansonHub & Qilin, new ransomware payloads. 

This illicit activity follows a hack on the HTX cryptocurrency exchange late last year, marking a major case in a broader pattern of North Korean cyber thefts targeting digital currency platforms. The UN monitors reported to the Security Council sanctions committee that they have been investigating 97 suspected North Korean cyberattacks on cryptocurrency firms from 2017 to 2024, with total stolen funds amounting to approximately $3.6 billion. The $147.5 million laundered in March was linked directly to the HTX exchange breach, based on data from crypto analytics firm PeckShield and blockchain research firm Elliptic.