North Korean Agent Indicted for Health Care System Hack

Federal prosecutors have indicted Rim Jong Hyok, alleged agent of North Korea's military intelligence, for hacking American health care providers. Hyok is accused of laundering ransom money and using it to fund further attacks. The Justice Department stated the hack disrupted patient treatment and they have recovered some ransom payments.

In a significant development, federal prosecutors announced Thursday that Rim Jong Hyok, reportedly an agent of North Korea's military intelligence, has been indicted for his alleged role in hacking American health care providers. The grand jury indictment in Kansas City, Kansas accuses Hyok of laundering ransom money to finance additional cyberattacks on defense, technology, and government entities globally.

The hacking incident, which targeted American hospitals and health care providers, led to the disruption of patient treatments, officials disclosed. "North Korea uses these types of cyber crimes to bypass international sanctions and further its political and military goals, directly impacting citizens in Kansas," stated Stephen A. Cyrus, an FBI agent in Kansas City.

Hyok purportedly attacked a hospital in Kansas in May 2021, encrypting its files and servers using ransomware. The hospital paid approximately $100,000 in Bitcoin to regain access to its data, but the Justice Department has since recovered the ransom along with another payment from a Colorado health care provider similarly affected.

This indictment is among multiple cases by the Justice Department linking North Korean hackers to profit-driven cybercrimes, setting them apart from their Russian and Chinese counterparts. In 2021, three North Korean computer programmers were charged with executing a broad range of global hacks and attempting thefts totaling over $1.3 billion. Investigators confirm Hyok's affiliation with the Andariel Unit, a subdivision of North Korea's Reconnaissance General Bureau, involved in cyberespionage against American institutions.

(With inputs from agencies.)