Kim Jong Un's North Korea's Cyber Espionage On US Military Secrets Sparks Outrage Among Washington And Allies

In a joint advisory, the United States, South Korea, and the U.K. have accused North Korean hackers of conducting a global cyber espionage campaign to pilfer classified military secrets.

What Happened: The hackers, identified as “Anadriel” or “APT45” by cybersecurity researchers, are allegedly part of North Korea’s Reconnaissance General Bureau intelligence agency, which was sanctioned by the U.S. in 2015, Reuters reported on Friday.

The hackers have purportedly targeted or breached computer systems at multiple defense and engineering companies, including those manufacturing tanks, submarines, naval vessels, fighter aircraft, and missile and radar systems.

Victims in the U.S. include the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Randolph Air Force Base in Texas, and Robins Air Force Base in Georgia. In the NASA breach, hackers allegedly used malware to gain unauthorized access to its computer system for three months, extracting over 17 gigabytes of unclassified data.

See Also: Kim Jong Un Rejects Donald Trump’s Friendship Claims? North Korea Says ‘We Do Not Care,’ Expresses Nuclear Readiness Amid Rising Tension With US

The advisory warned that the hacking group and its techniques continue to pose an ongoing threat to various industry sectors worldwide, including those in Japan and India. To fund their operations, the hackers reportedly used ransomware to target U.S. hospitals and healthcare companies.

The U.S. Justice Department has charged one suspect, Rim Jong Hyok, for conspiring to access computer networks in the U.S. and money laundering. The FBI is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to Rim’s arrest.

Why It Matters: This revelation comes amid a series of aggressive moves by North Korea. The nation has been targeting the cryptocurrency industry, with North Korean hackers stealing an estimated $2 billion in the last two years. This latest cyber espionage campaign further underscores the nation’s relentless pursuit of funds to support its banned nuclear weapons program.

Earlier in May, the U.S. Justice Department accused an American woman of being involved in a scheme that allegedly helped North Korea fund its nuclear weapons program. The scheme involved over 300 U.S. companies hiring foreign nationals with North Korean connections for remote IT work, sending $6.8 million of revenue overseas.

North Korea has also been vocal about its concerns regarding the U.S. and South Korea’s joint military drills, accusing them of crossing a “red line” toward a new nuclear war. Despite former President Donald Trump‘s claims of a good relationship with Kim Jong Un, North Korea has rejected these assertions, emphasizing its nuclear readiness in response to rising tensions with the U.S.

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This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Pooja Rajkumari