According to Odaily, a U.S. grand jury has indicted North Korean citizen Rim Jong Hyok on charges of conspiring to hack and extort hospitals, laundering money, and using ransom funds to conduct cyber intrusions on global defense, technology, and government entities. The U.S. State Department has offered a $10 million reward for information leading to the location or identity of the North Korean hacker.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security Matthew G. Olsen stated that North Korean hackers have developed custom tools to target and extort U.S. healthcare providers. The illicit gains from these activities are used to fund cyber attacks on global government, technology, and defense entities, with money laundering operations conducted through China.
Court documents reveal that Rim and his accomplices work for North Korea's military intelligence agency, the Reconnaissance General Bureau, known in the private sector as 'Andariel,' 'Onyx Sleet,' and 'APT45.'
