Kimsuky Cyberattacks on US-South Korea Military Drills Raises Tensions

A North Korean hacking group, known as Kimsuky, has carried out a cyberattack against computer systems used for joint US-South Korean military exercises. According to Bloomberg, the hackers tried to gain access to the military infrastructure. As a result of the attack, the computers of Company A, which provides computer simulation services for Freedom Shield military exercises, were compromised.

According to the Security Investigations Division of the South Gyeonggi (Capital Province) Police Directorate, in early January, hackers sent malicious code via email to the computer of an administrative employee of Company A, after what who gained access to the data of other employees.

Then, in February, hackers sent letters to employees providing war games, with an attachment purporting to contain information about tax deductions. However, the file was not opened thanks to the defense system of the Pentagon.

The investigation found that the North Korean hackers were unable to obtain military information. But several company employees forwarded emails with malicious files to personal mailboxes and thus infected their personal devices.

Police, along with the US military, discovered that fake IP addresses were used for the cyber attack, which were used in 2014 when Kimsuky hacked into South Korean hydroelectric and nuclear power plant operator KHNP.

South Korea believes that North Korean hackers are after Kimsuky, that they are acting on orders from North Korean authorities. In this regard, Seoul included the organization on its blacklist in June. South Korean investigators also recently said they had confirmed Kimsuky’s involvement in the phishing email blast sent to South Korean foreign policy and security experts last year.

Freedom Shield is a joint military exercise between the United States and South Korea aimed at maintaining military readiness and cooperation between these countries. The exercise is a simulation of various military scenarios and strategies that may be required to protect and defend the region. Within the framework of the Freedom Shield, the participants practice the coordination of their actions, joint operations and interaction between the military forces of the United States and South Korea.