U.S. Sanctions North Korean IT Worker Network Supporting WMD Programs

Summary: The U.S. Treasury Department’s OFAC has sanctioned individuals and entities involved in North Korea’s illicit revenue generation through fraudulent IT worker schemes. These workers, who disguise their identities, provide services globally while the DPRK retains a significant portion of their earnings to fund weapons programs. This action is part of ongoing U.S. efforts to disrupt North Korea’s financial operations that support its strategic objectives.

Threat Actor: Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) | DPRK
Victim: Global IT and cryptocurrency companies | Global IT and cryptocurrency companies

Keypoints :

• OFAC sanctioned two individuals and four entities linked to North Korea’s IT worker schemes.
• The DPRK government retains up to 90% of the wages earned by overseas IT workers, generating substantial revenue for its weapons programs.
• North Korean IT workers have increasingly infiltrated cryptocurrency and Web3 companies, leading to extortion attempts and compromised networks.