North Korean charged in crippling Sony hack, WannaCry virus

United States Attorney Tracy Wilkison announces a criminal complaint being filed against a North Korean national accused in a series of destructive cyberattacks around the world, at a news conference in Los Angeles Thursday, Sept. 6, 2018. The complaint alleges Park Jin Hyok, computer programmer accused of working at the behest of the North Korean government, was charged Thursday in connection with several high-profile cyberattacks, including the Sony Pictures Entertainment hack and the WannaCry ransomware virus that affected hundreds of thousands of computers worldwide. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

LOS ANGELES: A computer programmer working for the North Korean government was charged with devastating cyberattacks that hacked Sony Pictures Entertainment and unleashed the WannaCry ransomware virus that infected computers in 150 countries and crippled parts of the British health care system, federal prosecutors said Sept 6. 

Park Jin Hyok, who is believed to be in North Korea, conspired to conduct a series of attacks that also stole US$81mil (RM335.94mil) from a bank in Bangladesh, according to charges unsealed in Los Angeles federal court following years of investigation. The US believes he was working for a North Korean-sponsored hacking organisation.