Tag Archives: North Korea

Avril Haines, director of National Intelligence (DNI) and a 2021 Wash100 Award winner, has submitted to Congress a report detailing the global threats to U.S. national security in accordance with section 617 of the fiscal year 2021 Intelligence Authorization Act. The 2021 Annual Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community looks at the diverse array of threats the U.S. and its allies will face in the coming year. 

Gen. Paul Nakasone, commander of U.S. Cyber Command (CYBERCOM) and a 2021 Wash100 Award recipient, said CYBERCOM continues to play a “key role” in the U.S. government’s ongoing response to the SolarWinds hack. He also mentioned in his speech the cyber threats posed by Russia, China, Iran and North Korea and the importance of partnerships with the U.S. private sector and foreign allies.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Department of the Treasury (DOT) and the FBI have released a joint advisory about the AppleJeus malware and other indicators of compromise that North Korea-backed threat actors use to perform cryptocurrency theft. The joint advisory released Wednesday provides technical details about seven versions of AppleJeus malware that Hidden Cobra actors have been using since 2018. 

The Senate has confirmed Antony Blinken, former deputy secretary of state during the Obama administration, to lead the State Department in a 78-22 vote on Tuesday, The New York Times reported. During his confirmation hearing, Blinken said he plans to review U.S. policy toward North Korea and take a tougher approach to Russia and China. 

The Department of Commerce’s (DOC) bureau of industry and security has announced new controls to prevent U.S. individuals from supporting weapons of mass destruction programs and foreign military intelligence activities in Russia, China, Cuba, Venezuela and other terrorist-backing countries. The bureau is broadening the license requirements for exports to military intelligence end users in those countries. 

The FBI, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and U.S. Cyber Command Cyber National Mission Force (CNMF) have issued a joint advisory to warn the public of a North Korean-linked hacking group called Kimsuky. CISA, FBI and CNMF utilized data from intelligence reporting and open-source databases to consolidate Kimsuky's tactics, techniques and procedures (TTP).

The National Guard has responded to alleged cases of cyber breaches at government offices in Louisiana weeks ahead of this year’s presidential elections. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued an advisory on a new form of malware called "emotet” which has worm-like qualities. Cybersecurity experts have attributed the cyber attacks in Louisiana to a hacking group backed by North Korea. 

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and three other agencies have released a joint alert about the FASTCash bank robbery campaign carried out by a group of North Korean government-linked cyber threat actors called BeagleBoyz. The alert said North Korea through the group BeagleBoyz has resumed its bank robbery scheme since February targeting financial institutions in several countries. 

U.S. prosecutors have filed an indictment against more than 30 individuals that allegedly helped North Korea process $2.5 billion in illegal payments through 250 front companies since 2013, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are planning to release data on alleged hacking activities backed by the North Korean government this week, FedScoop reported Tuesday.