Kumsong 121, a North Korean hacking gang, recently launched a cyber attack on social media using the hashtag #kumsong121. As North Korean hacking attacks get increasingly sophisticated, users of computers and mobile phones should be on their toes to avoid being hacked.
“Advanced persistent threat” (APT) Kumsong 121 was discovered by EST Security on Tuesday, according to a press release. Rather than using email, the hacking gang used social media to befriend the target and transfer an infected file, according to the report.
Once they had gained access to a victim’s social media account, the attackers moved on to their friends’ accounts.
As a result, the hackers were able to gain the trust of the victim by sending chat messages with polite welcomes and mundane topics of interest or gossip.
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An email with an infected document file was then forwarded to the victim by the attackers, who claimed to have recently authored a piece on North Korean politics and asked for assistance.
It contains a macro virus, which renders the target’s computer hackable if the recipient allows it.
Traditional spear-phishing attempts targeted at specific individuals were grafted onto social media by the attackers.
One such North Korean hacker gang sought to spread an infected file by stealing a defector’s social media account and attempting to speak with his pals.
Additionally, Kumsong 121 targets Android phones.
Kumsong 121, according to EST Security, carries out “smishing” attacks against Android smartphone users in order to steal their personal information. Victims that download an infected Android package created by the hackers will have much of their private information stolen. This includes their address books and text messages as well as their phone’s location information.
