Latest news with #SongKumHyok
Scoop
09-07-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Sanctioning Malicious North Korean Cyber Actors
July 8, 2025 The United States is imposing sanctions on Song Kum Hyok, a North Korean cyber actor associated with the U.S.-designated North Korea hacking group Andariel. Song was involved in in malicious cyber-enabled activities, which included an illicit information technology (IT) worker scheme. He is also linked to an attempted hack of the U.S. Department of the Treasury. We are also imposing sanctions on Russia-based facilitator Gayk Asatryan and four entities – two Russian and two North Korean – all involved in deploying IT workers internationally to generate revenue for the North Korean government. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea deploys IT workers who obfuscate their identities, often through identity theft of U.S. persons, to fraudulently obtain employment at unwitting foreign firms. The North Korea regime uses revenue generated by these workers to support its unlawful weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs. Today's sanctions are part of the U.S. government's efforts to combat North Korean cyber espionage and revenue generation. We will continue to take action against malicious cyber actors who attempt to undermine U.S. national security or the U.S. financial sector. The U.S. Department of State's Rewards for Justice program (RFJ) is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the identification or location of any person who, while acting at the direction or under the control of a foreign government, engages in certain malicious cyber activities against U.S. critical infrastructure in violation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. RFJ is also offering a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the disruption of financial mechanisms of persons engaged in certain activities that support North Korea, including the exportation of its workers to generate revenue. The Department of the Treasury's actions were taken pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13694, as amended; E.O. 13722; and E.O. 13810. For more information, see Treasury's press release, the State Department's RFJ website, Department of Justice's press release, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency cybersecurity advisory.
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Business Standard
09-07-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
US slaps sanctions on firms linked to North Korea's fake-tech-worker scheme
The US slapped sanctions on individuals and companies linked to a scheme that involves recruiting North Koreans to pose as American tech workers and help fund Kim Jong Un's regime. The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control imposed penalties on a 'malicious cyber actor' named Song Kum Hyok, who's accused of having ties with a hacking group linked to Pyongyang, as well as another individual and four companies based in Russia and North Korea. Song allegedly facilitated an IT worker scheme where North Koreans and others working from China and Russia are given false American identities — often using information stolen from US citizens — to gain remote employment with US companies and generate revenues for North Korea. The workers use 'a variety of mainstream and industry-specific freelance contracting, payment, and social media and networking platforms,' the Treasury Department said in a statement. The department also said that in some cases, the IT workers introduced malware into company networks. Thousands of North Korean workers have been posing as nationals from other countries to infiltrate companies in the US and around the world, according to the US government. Last month, the Justice Department announced one arrest and charges against nine people connected to the scheme. In a separate announcement, the State Department said it's offering a reward of up to $5 million for information that would disrupt the financial means of people engaged in activities that support North Korea. It also offered $10 million for identifying and locating people involved in cyber attacks against critical US infrastructure.
Straits Times
09-07-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
US sanctions target North Korean fake-tech-worker scheme
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Thousands of North Korean workers have been posing as nationals from other countries to infiltrate companies in the US. The US slapped sanctions on individuals and companies linked to a scheme that involves recruiting North Koreans to pose as American tech workers and help fund Kim Jong Un's regime. The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control imposed penalties on a 'malicious cyber actor' named Song Kum Hyok, who's accused of having ties with a hacking group linked to Pyongyang, as well as another individual and four companies based in Russia and North Korea. Song allegedly facilitated an IT worker scheme where North Koreans and others working from China and Russia are given false American identities – often using information stolen from US citizens – to gain remote employment with US companies and generate revenues for North Korea. The workers use 'a variety of mainstream and industry-specific freelance contracting, payment, and social media and networking platforms,' the Treasury Department said in a statement. The department also said that in some cases, the IT workers introduced malware into company networks. Thousands of North Korean workers have been posing as nationals from other countries to infiltrate companies in the US and around the world, according to the US government. Last month, the Justice Department announced one arrest and charges against nine people connected to the scheme. In a separate announcement, the State Department said it's offering a reward of up to US$5 million for information that would disrupt the financial means of people engaged in activities that support North Korea. It also offered $10 million for identifying and locating people involved in cyber attacks against critical US infrastructure. BLOOMBERG Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Asia Why Japan and South Korea are on different paths in the latest US trade salvo Opinion Hyper-competitive classrooms feed the corporate world's narcissist pipeline Opinion Is Donald Trump unstoppable? Singapore Keep citizens at the centre of public service, Chan Chun Sing tells civil servants Business 'It's our grandfather's company, we won't sell', says Wong family as shareholders reject GE delisting bid Asia Ex-Malaysian PM Najib's wife Rosmah wins $30,000 in suit against TikToker Singapore Chuan Grove GLS site snags top bid of $703.6m from Sing Holdings-Sunway joint venture Sport Singapore U-16 girls given footballing lesson in first match of inaugural Lion City Cup girls' tournament
UPI
08-07-2025
- Politics
- UPI
U.S. sanctions North Korean hacker for crimes benefitting Kim Jong Un's arms programs
Secretary of State Marco Rubio (pictured in April at the White House) and the State Department announced sanctions on accused North Korean hacker Song Kum Hyok on Tuesday for his part in a notorious hacking group called Andariel. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo July 8 (UPI) -- The federal government has sanctioned alleged North Korean hacker Song Kum Hyok for illegal activities related to his participation in the Andariel hacking group. Song has participated in malicious cyber activities, including an illicit information technology worker scheme and an attempted hack of the Department of Treasury, State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce announced on Tuesday. North Korea "deploys IT workers who obfuscate their identities, often through identity theft of U.S. persons, to fraudulently obtain employment at unwitting foreign firms," Bruce said. "The North Korea regime uses revenue generated by these workers to support its unlawful weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs." Treasury Department Deputy Secretary Michael Faulkender said the sanctions affirm the importance of staying vigilant of North Korea's efforts to illicitly fund its ballistic missile and weapons of mass destruction programs. "Treasury remains committed to using all available tools to disrupt the Kim regime's efforts to circumvent sanctions through its digital asset theft, attempted impersonation of Americans and malicious cyber attacks," Faulkender said. The State Department also announced sanctions on Russia-based facilitator Gayk Asatryan, two Russian entities and two North Korean entities that deploy cyber actors to generate revenue for North Korea through hacking activities and other cyber crimes. "Today's sanctions are part of the U.S. government's effort to combat North Korean cyber espionage and revenue generation," Bruce said. "We will continue to take action against malicious cyber actors who attempt to undermine U.S. national security or the U.S. financial sector." The State Department also announced it will pay a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the identity or location of anyone who violates the U.S. Computer Fraud and Abuse Act at the direction of a foreign government. The State Department's Rewards for Justice program also will pay up to $5 million for information that enables the disruption of finances for those who help the North Korean government export workers to generate revenue. The United States in July indicted North Korean hacker Rim Jong Hyok and offered a $10 million reward for information about him for allegedly working on behalf of North Korea's Reconnaissance General Bureau. He is accused of conspiring to "hack and extort U.S. hospitals and other healthcare providers, launder the ransom proceeds and then use these proceeds to fund additional computer intrusions," the Department of Justice said in a statement.
South China Morning Post
08-07-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
US targets North Korean fake IT worker scheme with China and Russia links
The US has slapped sanctions on individuals and companies linked to a scheme that involves recruiting North Koreans to pose as American tech workers and help fund Kim Jong-un's regime. Advertisement The US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control imposed penalties on a 'malicious cyber actor' named Song Kum-hyok, who is accused of having ties with a hacking group linked to Pyongyang, as well as another individual and four companies based in Russia and North Korea. Song allegedly facilitated an IT worker scheme where North Koreans and others working from China and Russia are given false American identities – often using information stolen from US citizens – to gain remote employment with US companies and generate revenue for North Korea. The workers use 'a variety of mainstream and industry-specific freelance contracting, payment, and social media and networking platforms,' the Treasury Department said in a statement. The department also said that in some cases, the IT workers introduced malware into company networks. 01:22 South Korea suspends propaganda loudspeaker broadcasts along border to North Korea South Korea suspends propaganda loudspeaker broadcasts along border to North Korea Thousands of North Korean workers have been posing as nationals from other countries to infiltrate companies in the US and around the world, according to the US government.
