North Korean hackers known for cryptocurrency heists are expanding their targets to include education, government and healthcare, according to researchers tracking the group. The activity could be…

The massive losses have prompted scrutiny from U.S. officials about how the illicit use of cryptocurrency poses a national security threat. 

Ransomware cases increased 47 percent amid a rise in attacks involving new strains of malware from the LockBit cybercrime syndicate.

Sanctions against the cryptocurrency mixer have ignited concern from industry stakeholders, privacy advocates and legal experts.

An increase in funds sent from illicit addresses has accelerated the rise, indicating the technology remains attractive to cyber criminals.

The previously unreported campaigns represent one of several ongoing nation-state attempts to hack journalists, the researchers said.

The ransomware has previously received little public scrutiny.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is attributing the campaign to hackers known as the Lazarus Group.

The address received $600 million in Ethereum and other digital currency during the March attack, crypto-tracking company Chainalysis said.

The hacking attempts are just the latest in the multiple ongoing hacking campaigns from the North Korean government.