US DOJ Arrests U.S. National, Charges Nine in North Korean IT Scheme Targeting 100+ Firms, Seizing $5M and Using NimDoor Malware

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Updated Jul 5, 2025, 06:56 PM

The U.S. Department of Justice and FBI have announced the arrest of a U.S. national and charges against nine others in connection with a North Korean scheme that involved impersonating American IT workers to secure remote jobs at more than 100 U.S. companies, including Fortune 500 firms and defense contractors.

From 2021 to 2024, North Korean operatives used over 80 stolen American identities and operated "laptop farms" across 16 states to facilitate this fraud. The scheme generated approximately $5 million in revenue for North Korea, which U.S. officials say was used to fund the country's sanctioned weapons program. The operation also involved Chinese and Taiwanese nationals as facilitators. Authorities seized 29 bank accounts, took down 21 fake websites, and confiscated over 200 devices. The North Korean actors infiltrated various sectors, including crypto startups, where they stole nearly $1 million in cryptocurrency through fake identities and malicious software. They employed advanced tactics such as AI-generated forged documents and voices, and deployed novel macOS malware called "NimDoor" disguised as Zoom updates to target crypto firms, bypassing Apple security measures. This malware was spread via Telegram and allowed the theft of crypto wallet data and passwords. The Justice Department's coordinated nationwide crackdown included three indictments and multiple raids on laptop farms. The scheme also resulted in the leakage of sensitive information, including U.S. military technology. The DOJ characterized the operation as a covert revenue generation and cyber espionage effort by North Korea, exploiting the global demand for skilled remote IT workers and remote work trends to evade sanctions.

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#FBI #North Korean #American IT #Fortune 500 #American #North Korea #Chinese #Taiwanese #NimDoor #Zoom #Apple #Telegram #Justice Department #DOJ

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Microsoft had to suspend 3,000 Hotmail and Outlook accounts. The company said these accounts were tied to North Korean IT workers, who reportedly created fake personas, performed remote work, and secured payments as part of a revenue generation scheme.