The Lazarus Heist S2: Special: The biggest heist yet

The Lazarus Heist S2: Special: The biggest heist yet

From Cyber Hack by BBC World Service

August 18, 2025 · 56 min · Season 2 · Episode 10

About this episode

The episode explores the audacious $1.5 billion heist by North Korean hackers and its implications on global security and military alliances.

$1.5 billion disappears in minutes. But what follows reveals North Korea’s expanding reach — from elite hackers to soldiers on the battlefield. The audacious attack was on the ByBit crypto exchange in February 2025. Investigators say North Korean hackers the Lazarus Group are responsible – the biggest heist in the history of crypto. With our hosts Jean Lee and Geoff White, we uncover how they pulled it off. But as Pyongyang’s cyber army is striking targets all over the world, North Korean soldiers have also been fighting on more traditional battlegrounds – siding with Russia in its war on Ukraine. We meet the South Korean correspondent who secured a world-exclusive interview with a North Korean POW. Does this all signify a turning point for North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, as his cyber operatives pull off increasingly daring heists and his military gain real-world combat experience fighting with the Russians against Ukraine? As Kim continues to ally with Vladimir Putin — a leader whose country possesses exactly the kind of nuclear expertise North Korea has long sought – is he more dangerous than ever? Meanwhile North Korea says it has nothing to do with the cybercrimes the…

People in this episode

Hosts: Jean Lee, Geoff White

Guest: South Korean correspondent

Topics covered

  • cybercrime
  • North Korea
  • crypto heist
  • military conflict
  • international relations
  • hacking
  • investigation

Keywords

  • Lazarus Group
  • ByBit
  • cyber attack
  • North Korea
  • crypto
  • Kim Jong-un
  • Vladimir Putin
  • hacking
  • military
  • Ukraine

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Lazarus Group, ByBit

Places: North Korea, Russia, Ukraine

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