North Korea Launches Hacking Attacks Targeting Nuclear and Drone Technology

A report indicates that North Korea-linked hacking groups are conducting cyberattacks targeting South Korean nuclear companies and European drone manufacturers. European cybersecurity firm ESET stated on the 29th in its 'APT Activity Report' that North Korea-linked hacking groups, from October last year to March of this year, set their sights on South Korean nuclear-related firms, cryptocurrency ecosystems, European drone manufacturers, and globally used software.

The North Korea-linked hacking group 'Andariel' attacked a South Korean engineering company that produces liquid hydrogen handling equipment and nuclear industry-related components in March of this year, attempting to implant the malware 'TigerRAT' and distribute ransomware. This attack aimed to simultaneously steal technology and secure funds.

The North Korea-linked group 'Lazarus,' under its 'Operation Dream Job,' targeted European unmanned aerial vehicle manufacturers. 'Operation DangerousPassword' used a method of compromising the official distribution account of the JavaScript library 'Axios' to implant malicious code.

ESET analyzed that 13.5% of global cyberattacks during that period originated from North Korea-linked organizations. They demonstrated a tactical pattern of simultaneously stealing cryptocurrency and pilfering technology related to nuclear and missile development.