Security News > 2023 > February > North Korean ransomware attacks on healthcare fund govt operations
A new cybersecurity advisory from the U.S. Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency describes recently observed tactics, techniques, and procedures observed with North Korean ransomware operations against public health and other critical infrastructure sectors.
The document is a joint report from the NSA, FBI, CISA, U.S. HHS, and the Republic of Korea National Intelligence Service and Defense Security Agency, and notes that the funds extorted this way went to support North Korean government's national-level priorities and objectives.
Apart from privately-developed lockers, CISA says that the hackers also used about a dozen other strains of file-encrypting malware to attack South Korean and U.S. healthcare systems.
According to CISA's advisory, North Korean threat actors acquire the infrastructure needed for an attack using fake personas and accounts and illegally obtained cryptocurrency.
After establishing initial access, the North Korean hackers perform network reconnaissance and lateral movement by executing shell commands and deploying additional payloads that help in gathering information.
While North Korean hackers have been linked to the Maui and H0lyGh0st ransomware strains [1, 2], the U.S. agency notes that the "Have also been observed using or possessing publicly available tools for encryption:".
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