Blockchain analysts have attributed the attack on the Binance crypto exchange to the hacker group TraderTraitor, which governments and researchers link to North Korea. According to their findings, Pyongyang is also behind attacks on banks, other crypto exchanges and blockchain platforms, and for a country under international sanctions, cyberattacks have become one of the main ways to earn foreign currency.

Why North Korean hackers can’t be stopped

An ordinary cybercriminal is often undone by a single mistake. “In the world of cybercrime, a single mistake is often enough for the police to catch you,” says Alec Zebrik of Chainalysis, a company that analyzes cryptocurrency flows.

North Koreans, he says, are practically…