North Korean Hackers have encroached on dozens of US Companies

The US Department of Justice has warned that hackers working for the North Korean regime infiltrated dozens of US companies to target American businesses.

News Source: https://techcrunch.com/

In an announcement on Tuesday, The US Department of Justice has said that North Koreans operatives infiltrated more than 100 American companies by posing as remote IT workers and in a Law Enforcement operation in Ohio and Texas, they arrested 2 persons and seized around 187 computer devices.

According to Department Of Justice, it raided more than 40 laptop farms in Texas, which is the highest number of homes and dwellings known to have been utilized to facilitate North Korean hacking. At least two American facilitators owned these properties. The seized computer device was shipped by American companies to their newly hired remote employees, Unaware that the newly hired workers were classified as North Korean spies who had obtained jobs by using the stolen identities of American people. The FBI’s cyber division Assistant Director Brett Leatherman talked about the action and said “North Korea continues to deploy remote IT workers using stolen identities to infiltrate American companies and generate revenue for the regime and its weapons programs.”

John A. Eisenberg, Assistant Attorney General for National Security said, “North Korea’s rogue regime uses its pervasive IT worker schemes to raise revenue for various illicit purposes, including the development of weapons that could ultimately target the United States or its allies.” Further he added “These schemes threaten the security of the IT systems and data of the deceived U.S. employers and leave countless victims of identity theft. NSD, along with our law enforcement partners, will use every available tool to track down anyone assisting the DPRK and to protect our national security.”

David M. Toepfer, the US attorney of the Northern District of Ohio said “Threats posed by nation-states like North Korea are a stark reminder that our adversaries will go to great measures to exploit our nation’s economic strength to further and fuel their own nefarious agendas and we are thankful to FBI Cleveland for their incredible work and persistence to put a stop to these bad actors. These charges serve as an urgent alert to all U.S. companies to remain vigilant in their hiring practices.”

Ryan Raybould, US District Attorney for Northern District of Texas said “This investigation is about far more than fraud, it is about a hostile foreign regime infiltrating American companies through stolen identities and covert access points inside our own borders. Every laptop farm we dismantle shuts down a revenue stream that the North Korean government relies on to fund weapons programs that threaten global stability. Operation Lonestar Roundup sends a clear message: we will not allow enemies of the United States to exploit our businesses or compromise our national security.”

FAQs:

Q: What exactly is a "Laptop Farm"?

A: A laptop farm is a physical site where a U.S.-based accomplice keeps and maintains employer-issued laptops; this is typically a residential home or apartment in the United States.

Q: Have U.S. government agencies also been infiltrated by Korean hackers?

A: Yes. Federal pipelines have been successfully tapped by the fraudulent hiring schemes. Participants were fired five days after landing a contractor position at the General Services Administration (GSA), according to court records.

Q: Why did North Korean hackers take remote IT jobs?

A: They stole money and company secrets by taking these jobs. They were able to earn large incomes working as regular IT developers, which they then sent back to Pyongyang to support North Korea's nuclear weapons initiatives. They attempted to blackmail their employers and stole proprietary technology after gaining trust and access to company networks.

Q: How did the FBI find and stop the laptop farms?

A: Through the extensive multi-state investigation known as Operation Lonestar Roundup, the FBI was able to apprehend them. Fraudulent email accounts and suspicious network activity were monitored by federal authorities. In the end, they raided more than 40 Texas houses, confiscated 187 computers, and detained American collaborators who were being paid to handle the electronics.

Q: Did Korean regime reacted to the accusations?

A: The most recent allegations made by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) about the laptop farm operation have not received an official response from the North Korean government.