Hackers affiliated with North Korea have infiltrated a major Russian missile manufacturer. A lot of data was exfiltrated.
No ally in cyber. The Reuters news agency reveals on August 7, 2023 that famous North Korean hacker groups, Lazarus and ScarCruft, have carried out a vast espionage campaign against the Russian missile manufacturer NPO Machinostroïenia.
This company is at the forefront in the manufacture of satellites, cruise missiles (long range) and intercontinental ballistic missiles (range greater than 5,500 km). Most of its products equip the Russian Navy, especially for everything related to anti-ship missiles.
According to research by specialist company SentinelOne – relied on by Reuters – the hackers began their operation towards the end of 2021. They continued to recover data until May 2022, when experts Russians detected their presence. The hackers entered the computer network of NPO Machinostroïenia, commonly known as NPO Mash, starting by scrutinizing the exchanges by email before stealing the files.
Military advances in North Korea
” This research provides rare insight into clandestine cyber operations that traditionally remain hidden from public view or are simply never detected by victims. Sentinel One researcher Tom Hegel told Reuters. Lazarus is the most famous hacker collective affiliated with North Korea. This group of hackers specializes in stealing cryptocurrency to finance the regime and remains one of the biggest threats in the field. Nearly $2 billion in cryptocurrency was stolen by Lazarus in 2022, according to media outlet The Record.
In the months following the digital intrusion, Pyongyang announced several advances in its ballistic missile program, without it being possible to confirm whether these advances are linked to data theft.
Last month, North Korea tested the Hwasong-18, the first of its intercontinental ballistic missiles to use solid propellants, a propulsion technique. Russia also conducted a visit to Korean military infrastructure last July. Moscow would resupply from Pyongyang to continue its invasion of Ukraine, according to US authorities.
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