Rim Jong Hyok
North Korean hacker
Rim Jong Hyok is a North Korean hacker and a member of the Andariel, a hacker group controlled by the Reconnaissance General Bureau.
Affiliation and Background
Rim Jong Hyok (Korean: 림종혁) is a North Korean national and alleged state-sponsored hacker operating as a member of Andariel, a hacking group under the direct control of North Korea's Reconnaissance General Bureau. Beyond his birth in North Korea, no details about his early life, education, or personal background are publicly known.
Hacking Career
Hyok's documented activities center on ransomware operations and cyber intrusions targeting U.S. and South Korean entities. In 2021, he is alleged to have funneled proceeds from ransomware campaigns — conducted in bitcoin — that were deployed against American hospitals and healthcare institutions, as well as organizations affiliated with the United States government. The affected healthcare facilities were located across multiple states, including Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, and Kansas. These attacks resulted in the locking and potential theft of sensitive personal data, including classified medical records belonging to patients at the targeted hospitals.
Beyond the healthcare sector, Hyok is alleged to have illegally accessed computer systems affiliated with the U.S. military, including systems located on military bases, from which he is said to have stolen classified documents. In 2022, he was identified as having stolen data related to classified U.S. military aircraft.
The ransomware proceeds laundered through these operations were used to fund continued hacking activities carried out by North Korean cyber groups. In total, Hyok is alleged to have laundered hundreds of thousands of dollars through these schemes.
Hyok also targeted systems connected to prominent U.S. government agencies, including NASA and the Department of Justice, as part of the broader campaign to compromise organizations affiliated with the United States.
Indictment
In July 2024, a grand jury in Kansas formally indicted Rim Jong Hyok on charges of conspiracy to launder money. Hyok did not have legal representation at the time of the indictment. In connection with the case, the U.S. Department of State announced a reward of up to $10 million for any information that leads to his arrest or further identifies his activities.
