North Korean Economy Watch

This is probably only to be expected. They have controlled information in the North for 60 years. And now you are giving them away openly.
China is doing the same. Hacking computers of western companies to get hold of information about dissidents and others they don’t like. And now that Kim has seen the “light” when it comes to computers, it is only expected that the first use will be to attack. “Army first”, even in cyberspace.

I’m a chadaewoon, staff reporter of Korea’s Yonhap News Agency. I want to ask you some questions about North Korea’s hacking attempts. Can you tell me why you consier recent hacking attemps done by North Korea? Do you have any evidence? As a matter of fact, recently I heard many similar hacking caese by North korea’s hacking troops in Korea. If possible, please send e-mail to me. Thank you!

I’m the main publisher of a Polish website focussed on NK, and we had the same situation

We have had the same too.

There are several countries who may well be trying to hack in.

Gents,
it is possible that NK is not directly responsible. You are far more knowledgeable than I about these things, but I wonder if the DPRK has the expertise and resources to undertake these attacks (?). Is it not more likely that NK sympathisers in the ROK or elsewhere are behind the attempts?

I doubt the North Koreans are responsible – I don’t think the North Koreans would care what some blogs are saying. The internal population can’t read them anyway. It might be the work of some crazy sympathisers, or just bored computer nerds!

It is interesting but I have not had anything like this. My Russian language blog (less active these days) is very high in Russian rating charts, but so far I have not come across anything dangerous. May be, it is because I run my blog with comments switched off and generally do not gvet involved into online discussions in Russian?

“I doubt the North Koreans are responsible – I don’t think the North Koreans would care what some blogs are saying.”

There are two (among many other) reasons why things like this are done. First it is meant to discourage others from making a site such as this if they do not feel they are technically capable of defending their site. Second, it is a constant annoyance that might eventually discourage one from continuing to publish.

My turn to be targeted again too, I think.
First time in quite a while for me.

I just received the message below, purportedly
from a certain stehpen.wang@gmail.com.
Note the misspelling. Also, no Chinese
institute would be named as this one is.

So I didn’t download the attachment.
But I so easily could have. Beware!

Cheers
Aidan

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FYI, China on Cheonan Warship

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Stephen Wang
Associate professor

Beijing Institute for NK Reform

Aidan,

I got the same email this morning. Welcome to the club.

-C