The World Once Laughed at North Korean Cyberpower

The World Once Laughed at North Korean Cyberpower.

 No More.

North Korea is country that believes peace can only be made when the enemy surrenders. In recent years North Korea has grown to be the most feared nation, not only in nuclear attacks but cyber warfare as well. Here’s a look at some of the biggest attacks put forth by North Korean agencies on the world.

WannaCry

On May 12, 2017, organizations across the world reported ransomware infections affecting their computer systems. The infections, caused by a ransomware strain referred to as WannaCry, restrict users' access to a computer until a ransom is paid to unlock it. Reportedly, 300,000 users in at least 150 countries were affected by the ransomware. In April 2017, an anonymous online group known as the Shadow Brokers released what it alleged was a series of surveillance-enabling tools stolen from the National Security Agency (NSA) that, among other things, exploited a Microsoft Windows security vulnerability known as EternalBlue. According to news reports, the NSA issued an internal assessment that linked the ransomware to North Korea's RGB. The hackers raised $140,000 in the digital currency bitcoin through WannaCry but have yet to convert it to hard cash.

Bangladesh Central Bank

When North Korean hackers tried to steal $1 billion from the New York Federal Reserve last year, only a spelling error stopped them. They were digitally looting an account of the Bangladesh Central Bank, when bankers grew suspicious about a withdrawal request that had misspelled “foundation” as “fandation.”

Even so, Kim Jong-un’s minions still got away with $81 million in that heist.

South Korean Data Heist

According to a South Korean politician, last fall North Korean hackers gained access to South Korea’s Defence Integrated Data Centre and stole 235 gigabytes of classified military plans. Two plans in particular stand out: One was a plan for how to respond to an attack on South Korea by North Korean commandos. The other was the plan for what’s called a “decapitation strike,” or an operation that would specifically target Kim and other key government officials loyal to the regime.

The fact that the data stolen was only related to that of the North Korean regime reinstates the fact that North Korea is keeping an eye on its enemies and with its sheer magnitude of cyberpower, only time will tell what do they have in store for us.

                                                  -AANAVI GUPTA

                                                    CSE(1st Year)