The U.S. Treasury Department, State Department, and FBI have issued a warning paper on the activities of North Korean IT professionals freelancing in various technologies, including cryptocurrency projects.

According to US authorities, the DPRK generates income through such employees that it directs to finance its weapons programs.

North Korean professionals may pretend to be citizens of other countries using VPNs, stolen or falsified documents.

Departments believe that employees associated with North Korea often work with projects focused on the cryptocurrency sector.

“Some IT professionals at DPRK have developed virtual currency exchanges or created analytical tools and applications for merchants and sold these products themselves,” the document says.

Previously, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection Agency, FBI, and US Treasury warned that hackers associated with the DPRK should focus on the crypto industry.