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Military opens probe over suspected N. Korean hacking on S. Korean defense suppliers

May 13, 2016

SEOUL, (Yonhap) — South Korea’s military has opened an investigation into alleged North Korean hacking attempts on local defense suppliers, an official source said Friday.

“We have learned that unknown emails disguised as those from the defense procurement agency were sent to local defense suppliers and arms trading agencies,” the military insider, who declined to be identified, said. “We are leading the investigation with the assumption that they could be North Korea’s hacking attempts on defense firms.”

The emails were asking the companies to join a survey on government subsidies to be offered to help defense manufacturers take part in a defense exhibition, according to the official.

He said the emails were carrying malicious codes as file attachments, which, when downloaded, allow hacking attacks and results in data leaks.

Last month, Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction Co., a key builder of naval warships, came under a hacking attack supposedly launched by North Korea and had their online data leaked before the military opened a probe.