Security News > 2022 > July > US raises reward for tips on North Korean hackers to $10 million

The U.S. State Department has increased rewards paid to anyone providing information on any North Korean-sponsored threat groups' members to $10 million.

These increased bounties add to rewards of up to $5 million announced by the State Department in March for info on DPRK-backed threat actors targeting crypto exchanges and financial institutions worldwide to support the North Korean regime's illicit activities.

One month later, the FBI linked the largest crypto hack ever to two North Korean hacking groups, Lazarus and BlueNorOff, saying they were responsible for the theft of $620 million in Ethereum from Axie Infinity's Ronin network bridge.

Two years ago, in April 2020, the U.S. government issued guidance on North Korean hacking activity in a joint advisory published by the U.S. Department of State, Treasury, Homeland Security, and the FBI. At the time, the State Department added in a DPRK Cyber Threat Advisory that it would reward any tips on North Korean hackers' cyber activity with up to $5 million if it leads to their identification or location or the disruption of DPRK-related illicit activities.

In 2019, the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned three North Korean hacking groups for funneling financial assets they stole in cyberattacks to the North Korean government.

A confidential United Nations report also revealed the same year that North Korean state hackers had stolen an estimated $2 billion in dozens of cyberattacks targeting banks and crypto exchanges worldwide.

News URL

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/us-raises-reward-for-tips-on-north-korean-hackers-to-10-million/