Microsoft: 8 North Korean hacker groups use AI to speed up attacks

Microsoft reported on October 29, 2026, that eight North Korean hacker groups are using artificial intelligence to accelerate attacks, create fake profiles, and steal data, primarily targeting cryptocurrency and financial companies. The groups are classified by adoption level: Jade Sleet, Coral Sleet, and Jasper Sleet have AI fully integrated across operations, while four others are in an advanced acceleration phase and Emerald Sleet uses it more limitedly. Tactics include creating fake recruiting firms, generating over 100 decoy PDFs in minutes, and compromising code repositories. TRM Labs data shows North Korea holds 76% of stolen crypto assets in 2026, with a 500% rise in AI-assisted scams. Hackers stole $2.02 billion in cryptocurrency during 2025, including the Bybit attack. Operations remain human-controlled, relying on social engineering.