Security News > 2020 > August > U.S. Army Report Describes North Korea's Cyber Warfare Capabilities
A report published recently by the U.S. Army describes North Korea's cyber warfare capabilities and provides information on various units and their missions.
In terms of computer warfare, the Army says North Korea primarily conducts these types of attacks because they represent a low-cost and low-risk method for targeting the enemy's computers, they can be used to counter the enemy's superior conventional military capabilities, and they can "Upset the status quo with little fear of retaliation."
"North Korean computer warfare activities may be conducted prior to or during a military action. For example, by damaging or destroying networks related to an enemy's projected force deployments and troop movements, the can effectively disrupt planning and misdirect movement, producing substantial confusion and delays. As modern armies increasingly rely on 'just-in-time' logistics support, targeting logistics-related computers and databases can produce delays in the arrival of important material such as ammunition, fuel, and spare parts during critical phases of a conflict," the report reads.
The unit responsible for cyber warfare is called the Cyber Warfare Guidance Unit, and it's often referred to as Bureau 121.
It's worth pointing out that South Korea's defense ministry estimated in 2015 that North Korea had an elite cyber warfare unit with up to 6,000 members.