The South Korean government has accused North Korea of stealing critical information about important military equipment.
Citing local media reports, Computer beeping South Korea's ruling People's Power Party (PPP) has warned of the theft of information about K2 tanks and the Baekdu and Geumgang spy planes.
The data was reportedly stolen after engineers working on the team changed companies. The new company was targeted by hackers and the criminals managed to make off with design drawings, development reports and information about the tank's overpressure system on an off-site storage drive. The new company also allegedly attempted to export the technology to an unnamed Middle Eastern company, meaning the leak could be even bigger.
It is not an option, but a necessity
The K2 tank is South Korea's main battle tank and the country currently has 260 units in service. Another 150 are planned, he added.
Baekdu and Geumgang are spy planes that the country uses to monitor its border with its northern neighbor, as well as its military activities.
The PPP has urged the country's political parties to adopt new cybersecurity measures immediately, to prevent future incursions and successful cyber espionage campaigns.
“Moreover, as North Korea's cyberattacks become more widespread and bold by the day, enacting the Cyber Security Basic Law to prevent North Korea's hacking and technology theft is no longer an option but a necessity,” the PPP said in a statement. “Furthermore, to protect our national interests, we must quickly push for a criminal law revision that expands the scope of espionage laws to 'foreign countries.'”
The name of the group behind the theft was not mentioned, but we do know that North Korea has a large government department dedicated to cyber warfare. Part of that department is Lazarus, an infamous threat actor credited with some of the largest cryptocurrency thefts in history.
