CYBER CRIME
Elite North Korean superhackers outed as global bank attackers
Washington — An elite group of North Korean hackers has been identified as the source of a wave of cyberattacks on global banks that has netted "hundreds of millions" of dollars, security researchers said on Wednesday. A report by the cybersecurity firm FireEye said the newly identified group dubbed APT38 is distinct from, but linked to, other North Korean hacking operations, and has the mission of raising funds for the Pyongyang regime. FireEye researchers said APT38 is one of several hacking cells within an umbrella group known as "Lazarus", but with unique skills and tools that have helped it carry out some of the world’s largest cyber heists. "They are a cyber criminal group with the skills of a cyber espionage campaign," said Sandra Joyce, FireEye’s vice-president of intelligence. Joyce said one of the characteristics of APT38 is that it takes several months, sometimes nearly two years, to penetrate and learn the workings of its targets before it attacks. It has sought to illeg...
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