North Korean Hackers Unveil Global Espionage Campaign

North Korean hackers have launched an extensive global cyber espionage campaign aimed at stealing classified military secrets to bolster Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program. Key agencies from the United States, Britain, and South Korea identified the hackers, known as Anadriel or APT45, targeting major defense firms worldwide.

North Korean hackers have initiated a worldwide cyber espionage campaign to steal classified military secrets in support of Pyongyang's illicit nuclear weapons program, according to a joint advisory released by the United States, Britain, and South Korea on Thursday. The hackers, identified as Anadriel or APT45 by cybersecurity experts, have infiltrated computer systems of various defense and engineering firms, including those manufacturing tanks, submarines, naval vessels, fighter aircraft, and missile and radar systems.

The advisory indicated that the hackers remain a persistent threat to global industry sectors, including those in Japan and India. This statement was co-authored by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA), Britain's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), and South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS).

Paul Chichester of NCSC emphasized the lengths DPRK state-sponsored actors go to pursue their military and nuclear programs. In a related move, the FBI issued an arrest warrant and a $10 million reward for information leading to the arrest of one of the suspected North Korean hackers, who faces charges of hacking and money laundering.

North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), has a history of secretive hacking to obtain sensitive military data. Last year, Reuters reported that North Korean hackers breached Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya, using phishing techniques and computer exploits, similar to those used by APT45 detailed in Thursday's advisory.