October 10, 2023 at 12:16PM – North Korea’s State-Sponsored APTs Organize & Align

October 10, 2023 at 12:16PM

North Korean APT groups have increased collaboration and coordination during the COVID-19 pandemic. The lines are blurring between individual groups, making it difficult to determine responsibility for specific threat activities. North Korean actors are diversifying attacks, sharing tools and code, and targeting the supply chain. Collaboration between defenders, governments, and the private sector is crucial in countering this persistent threat.

Key takeaways from the meeting notes:

1. North Korean advanced persistent threat (APT) groups have become more aligned and coordinated during the COVID-19 pandemic, making it harder for investigators to attribute specific threat activities to individual groups.
2. The APTs are diversifying their attacks, sharing tools and code, and developing tailored malware for different platforms like Linux and MacOS.
3. The supply chain is increasingly at risk from North Korean APTs, as they engage in broader intrusions using various supply chain vectors.
4. Despite the increasing collaboration among APT groups, they continue to work on separate efforts such as ransomware, conventional weapons information collection, nuclear entity targeting, and blockchain- and fintech-targeting.
5. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced North Korean APTs to increase coordination and information-sharing due to the closure of borders, leading to a more organized state-sponsored structure.
6. All North Korean threat groups ultimately report to Kim Jong Un and support the regime through funding or intelligence activities.
7. Defenders should focus on specific threat activities rather than spending excessive time trying to attribute them to specific North Korean APT groups.
8. A collaborative and unified response from both governments and the private sector is recommended to effectively counter the persistent threat posed by North Korean APTs.

Overall, the meeting notes highlight the evolving and adaptive nature of North Korean APT groups, the increased collaboration among them, and the need for a collective effort to address and mitigate the threat they pose.

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