# Lazarus Group **Type:** organization **Status:** active **Domain:** internet-finance ## Overview North Korean state-sponsored hacking group responsible for billions in DeFi protocol thefts, demonstrating escalating sophistication from on-chain exploits to long-horizon social engineering operations. ## Timeline - **2026-04-01** — Lazarus Group (attributed) executed $270-285M Drift Protocol exploit through six-month social engineering operation involving in-person meetings across multiple countries, $1M credibility deposit, and human coordination layer compromise rather than smart contract vulnerability