DPRK protests results of hacking probe
Apr 13th
The DPRK is loudly protesting the preliminary results of a South Korean investigation that found it was behind widespread computer disruption that hit several TV stations and banks on March 20. [Updated, see below.]
The computer attacks wiped clean the hard disk drives of around 48,000 personal computers and servers inside broadcasters KBS, MBC and YTN, and the Shinhan, Nonghyup and Jeju Banks.
In an almost 2,000 word response carried on the state-run KCNA newswire, the main results of the investigation were picked through and discounted. The article, which came a day after Seoul disclosed its findings, was attributed to a spokesman for the General Staff of More >
US wants VOA, RFA transmitter in South Korea
Apr 11th
The organization that runs America’s international broadcasting services wants to build a transmitter in South Korea to give Voice of America and Radio Free Asia a better signal into the DPRK.
The Broadcasting Board of Governors disclosed the plan in its annual budget request, which was published on Wednesday.
The plan, if realized, could mean a substantially stronger and more reliable signal for the two stations, but is likely to attract jamming by North Korean authorities.
The BBG is seeking to construct a new medium wave transmitter in South Korea. This transmitter, optimally situated in a location near the border with North Korea, would More >
South fingers North in March cyberattacks
Apr 11th
South Korea’s government has concluded the March 20 cyberattacks that hit three of the country’s TV broadcasters and three of its banks were launched by attackers linked to the North Korean government.
The attacks began at 2pm local time on March 20 and caused the complete deletion of data on hard disk drives in roughly 48,000 personal computers inside broadcasters KBS, MBC and YTN, and the Shinhan, Nonghyup and Jeju Banks.
North Korean hackers were suspected almost immediately although unusually the government in Seoul wasn’t quick to point its finger. Officials launched an investigation and it was the preliminary conclusions of that work More >
Medicine database developed at Pyongyang Medical College Hospital
Apr 10th
Pyongyang Medical College Hospital at Kim Il Sung University has developed a database of thousands of drugs, according to North Korean TV and radio reports.
The “clinical medicine information service system” contains details on 12,000 pharmaceuticals and 154,000 kinds of medicines from more than 50 countries, according to a report carried by Voice of Korea.
“It has also more than 15,000 words for search concerning indications, side-effects and contra-indications so that everyone can freely search information on medicines on their basis,” VOK said in its report.
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Summer radio broadcasts to DPRK
Apr 10th
The various public and private radio stations that aim broadcasts at North Korea have just refreshed their broadcast schedules for the summer season.
In addition to the publicly-funded outlets, there are several private stations. Their editorial balance at the stations differ although none are pro-regime stations. Some are jammed by North Korea making reception difficult — but not impossible — inside the country.
Given the right conditions, the broadcasts should be audible across a wide swarth of Asia.
All times at UTC and all broadcasts in Korea unless noted.
== International Broadcasters ==
1200 to 1300 (2100 to 2200 local) on 1,188kHz, 7,225kHz, 9,490kHz More >
DPRK reconfigures its Internet connection
Apr 9th
Hot on the heels of a series of attacks that have seen its Internet connectivity severely disrupted, the DPRK appears to be adding an additional route through which it links to the global Internet.
The new link began appearing in Internet addressing tables on Monday and connects from Star, the country’s sole Internet service provider, to China Unicom Hong Kong’s network.
Most of the Internet traffic to and from the country already runs over a link from mainland China that is serviced by China Unicom. Almost exactly a year ago, a second connection was added via Intelsat satellite.
The new connection appears to More >
Uriminzokkiri restoring after hack
Apr 7th
This week’s hack of the Uriminzokkiri website certainly raised the bar in the cyber battle currently playing out online.
It marked the first time in the current round of attacks that anyone had managed to break in and deface a North Korean website. Over the last couple of weeks, several sites have been taken offline by denial of service attacks, but such attacks simply impede the website’s ability to serve pages and don’t affect the content.
This time around the attack saw the site removed and its Twitter and Flickr channels accessed. The Flickr channel is back under a new account, it appears More >
Uriminzokkiri, companion websites hacked
Apr 4th
Uriminzokkiri, a China-based North Korean news website with close ties to Pyongyang, has been hacked. The site is currently inaccessible, companion websites have also been attacked and defaced, and it’s Twitter feed and Flickr pages have also been broken into.
The hack came hours after a list of apparently 9,000 registered users of the site was posted to the Internet.
The list contained user names, real names, email addresses, birth dates and other information including hashed passwords, which are the result of a process where a password is passed through an algorithm to disguise it. The attackers had apparently been able to break More >
Voice of Korea on KPA nuclear statement
Apr 4th
The Korean People’s Army statement issued through KCNA on Thursday threatening nuclear weapons use in retaliation for any U.S. attack was repeated on the Voice of Korea shortwave radio program of the DPRK the same day, but it didn’t rank anywhere near the top news of the day.
Leading off the English-language newscast was details of the plenary meeting of the central committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea. The news then progressed to a number of new laws passed by the Supreme People’s Assembly. Item five on the nuclear weapons law might be of interest to some.
The army statement came More >
Hackers claim 15,000 Uriminzokkiri user records
Apr 2nd
A hacker or hackers working under the umbrella of “Anonymous” claims to have broken into Uriminzokkiri.com, the North Korean-run site based in China, and taken over 15,000 user records.
A message posted online makes the claim and includes details for six accounts, apparently showing user names, e-mail addresses, birth dates, and hashed passwords.
These are passwords that have been run through an algorithm to come out as something that contains the essence of it. It’s an alternative to storing the password in plain text and helps guard against losing passwords during hacks like the one apparently conducted on Uriminzokkiri.com.
Of the six users, More >
