Tech · 19 d ago
Tony Webster · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
FBI raids suspected North Korean laptop farms in Texas
Laptops seized in Texas
187 laptops
In an operation called Lonestar Roundup, the FBI searched 40 residences in Texas between Sep 21 and 25 and seized about 187 laptops and input devices.
What it means
laptop farm
A laptop farm is a home where a facilitator keeps employer-issued computers that North Korean IT workers use remotely, so they appear to be based in the United States.
Why it matters
North Korea is under heavy sanctions, so its operatives seek tech jobs at companies worldwide with stolen, rented or fake identities. Some also try to steal data, deploy malware or take cryptocurrency from employers.
The charges
- Wire fraud
- Money laundering
- Identity theft
The U.S. Justice Department charged 14 people and arrested two U.S. nationals for wire fraud, money laundering and identity theft. An Ohio indictment describes a scheme that hit 70 companies and earned about US$3 million for North Korea.
