North Korean Hacker Busted for Hacking U.S. Hospitals and NASA—$10 Million Bounty on the Line

The U.S. Department of Justice revealed that it has issued an arrest warrant for Rim Jong Hyok, a North Korean hacker linked to the hacking group Andariel, which operates under North Korea’s Reconnaissance General Bureau.

Kansas federal court prosecuted a North Korean Rim on charges of computer hacking and issued an arrest warrant. The FBI is currently seeking him.

As a member of Andariel, Rim infiltrated and extorted money from U.S. hospitals and defense contractors by utilizing ransomware. He would disrupt operations by breaching computer systems or networks and demand payment for the restoration. Rim laundered the profits he gained, including Bitcoin, to purchase web servers for cyberattacks against governments and tech companies in the U.S., South Korea, and China.

The U.S. State Department reported that Andariel targeted five healthcare service providers, four U.S.-based defense contractors, two U.S. Air Force bases, and the NASA Inspector General’s office. Rim Jong Hyok and his associates extracted vast amounts of data, including classified technical information on materials used in military aircraft and satellites, compiled before 2010. It is confirmed that they stole significant non-classified data from NASA’s computer systems.

Rim is reportedly still residing in North Korea. The U.S. State Department has announced a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to his capture.