A North Korean hacking team is using the RokRat Trojan in a new wave of campaigns against the South Korean government authorities. The Remote Access Trojan (RAT) has been linked to attacks based on the tap of a Korean language word processor widely utilized in South Korea for many years, specifically, the compromise of Hangul Office files (.HWP).
Full Answer
Is North Korea hacking South Korea with rokrat Trojan?
A North Korean hacking group is utilizing the RokRat Trojan in a fresh wave of campaigns against the South Korean government.
What are the North Korean malware variants exposed by US government?
Three more North Korean malware variants were exposed in May, including a remote access tool known as COPPERHEDGE and used in attacks against cryptocurrency exchanges, and two trojans known as TAINTEDSCRIBE and PEBBLEDASH. The US govt issued six other security advisories with info on North Korean malware in mid-February exposing:
What is the North Korean rat Trojan?
The trojan was attributed by the two agencies to the North Korean government-sponsored hacking group tracked as HIDDEN COBRA (aka Lazarus Group and APT38). According to the agencies' analysis, the RAT comes with "built-in functions for remote operations that provide various capabilities on a victim’s system."
What is remote access trojan (RAT)?
The Remote Access Trojan (RAT) has been connected to attacks based on the exploit of a Korean language word processor commonly used in South Korea for several years; specifically, the compromise of Hangul Office documents (.HWP).
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Summary
This Malware Analysis Report (MAR) is the result of analytic efforts between Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Working with U.S. Government partners, DHS and FBI identified Remote Access Trojan (RAT) malware variants used by the North Korean government.
Recommendations
CISA recommends that users and administrators consider using the following best practices to strengthen the security posture of their organization's systems. Any configuration changes should be reviewed by system owners and administrators prior to implementation to avoid unwanted impacts.
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What is a MIFR? A Malware Initial Findings Report (MIFR) is intended to provide organizations with malware analysis in a timely manner. In most instances this report will provide initial indicators for computer and network defense. To request additional analysis, please contact CISA and provide information regarding the level of desired analysis.
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North Korean Malicious Cyber Activity
The information contained in the Alerts, Advisories, and MARs listed below is the result of analytic efforts between CISA, FBI, the U.S. Departments of Homeland Security (DHS), Defense (DoD), and Treasury; and U.S. Cyber Command; to provide technical details on the tools and infrastructure used by cyber actors of the North Korean government.
Report Activity Related to This Threat
CISA encourages all organizations to urgently report any additional information related to this threat. Users and administrators should flag associated activity, report the activity to CISA (see below) or FBI Cyber Watch (CyWatch)
Mitigate and Detect this Threat
CISA recommends users and administrators review the publications in the North Korean Malicious Cyber Activity section as well as the following resources for descriptions of tactics and techniques associated with this threat and recommended mitigations and detections. Note: unless specifically stated, neither CISA nor the U.S.
Respond to an Incident
CISA recommends users and administrators consult the Joint Advisory, Technical Approaches to Uncovering and Remediating Malicious Activity, which details technical approaches to uncovering malicious activity and includes mitigation steps according to best practices.
Who is the trojan attributed to?
The trojan was attributed by the two agencies to the North Korean government-sponsored hacking group tracked as HIDDEN COBRA (aka Lazarus Group and APT38).
What is RAT malware?
U.S. government agencies today published a malware analysis report exposing information on a remote access trojan (RAT) malware used by North Korean hackers in attacks targeting government contractors. The malware was identified by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) ...
How much is the reward for DPRK hacking?
In April 2020, the U.S. government offered a reward of up to $5 million for information on DPRK hackers' cyber activity, including past or ongoing operations, that leads to the disruption of DPRK-related illegal activities or to the identification or location of North Korean actors.
What malware was used in May?
Three more North Korean malware variants were exposed in May, including a remote access tool known as COPPERHEDGE and used in attacks against cryptocurrency exchanges, and two trojans known as TAINTEDSCRIBE and PEBBLEDASH.
