North Korean hacking groups, notably the Lazarus Group and TraderTraitor, have executed a massive cyber heist, stealing over $1.5 billion in Ethereum from the Dubai-based crypto exchange Bybit. This theft surpasses North Korea's 2023 defense budget, with concerns that the funds may support the nation's nuclear and missile programs. The FBI has advised cryptocurrency companies to avoid transactions with the stolen assets to prevent their conversion into other currencies. Bybit's founder has pledged to compensate affected users and has offered a $140 million reward for information leading to the recovery of the stolen funds.