UN Experts Warn North Korea Stealing Millions Online

UN Experts Warn North Korea Stealing Millions Online

A new United Nations report says North Korea is using internet attacks to steal money to pay for its banned weapons programs.

The report is from a group of experts observing U.N. restrictions¹ on North Korea's nuclear and missile programs. It was prepared for the U.N. Security Council.

The group said an unnamed government reported that North Korean "cyber-actors" stole more than $50 million between 2020 and the middle of 2021. Cyber describes activities carried out through computers.

The experts said the stolen money was in the form of at least three cryptocurrencies. These are forms of money which exist only online and are not controlled by any country's central bank. The report said the money was taken from cryptocurrency exchanges in North America, Europe and Asia.

The experts added that the new activity suggests North Korea is changing "to diversify² its cybercrime operations."

An unidentified cybersecurity company said in the document that North Korea stole $400 million in cryptocurrencies in 2021, The Associated Press reported. The report said the activity involved seven attacks on cryptocurrency exchanges and investment companies.

Many methods were used to carry out the cyberattacks, the experts said. These included "phishing lures³, code exploits, malware, and advanced social engineering..." Phishing and social engineering often involve using email to get information about targets. Code exploits can be used to find weaknesses in computer software or security. Malware is a computer program designed to break into a computer.

North Korea has long been banned by the U.N. Security Council from carrying out nuclear tests and ballistic missile launches. The U.N. has placed sanctions on the country for repeatedly violating the ban.

The experts said North Korea, also known as the DPRK, has continued to develop its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. January was the busiest month ever for North Korean missile tests.

"Although no nuclear tests or launches of ICBMs were reported, DPRK continued to develop its capability⁴ for production of nuclear fissile materials," the panel said. ICBMs are missiles that can travel long distances and are difficult to follow and stop. Fissile materials — such as uranium or plutonium — can be used to fuel nuclear reactions.

The experts noted⁵ that the North Korean missile launches in January used several different technologies. They said North Korea was continuing "to seek material, technology and know-how⁶ for these programs overseas, including through cyber means and joint⁷ scientific research."

The group also commented on North Korea's blockade aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19. It said the action had resulted in "historically low levels" of people and goods entering and leaving the country. Legal and illegal trade including costly⁸ goods had "largely ceased" as a result of the blockade. But the report said that cross-border rail traffic with China had restarted in early January.

Experts have said in the past that North Korea remains⁹ able to get around sanctions. The government of leader Kim Jong Un has illicitly¹⁰ imported petroleum¹¹ products. It has also used international banking¹² channels to carry out illegal "cyber activities."

North Korea also continues to escape sanctions on shipping¹³ activities and hides financial and ownership networks, the U.N. experts said.

One year ago, the group warned that North Korea had modernized¹⁴ its nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles by ignoring U.N. restrictions. It said the country was using cyberattacks to help finance its programs and continued to seek material and technology overseas, including in Iran.

The experts noted that the humanitarian¹⁵ situation continues to worsen in North Korea. But there is nearly a complete lack of information from the country. This makes it difficult to find the "unintended humanitarian consequences of U.N. sanctions affecting the civilian¹⁶ population," the group said.

Words in This Story

diversify – v. to increase the different kinds of things that you are involved in

phishing – n. the practice of sending emails to people in order to trick them into giving information that could be used in an internet attack

malware – n. a computer program that is designed to damage or break into a computer

ballistic missile – n. a weapon that is shot through the sky over a great distance and then falls to the ground and explodes

sanctions – n.(pl.) actions taken to force a country to obey international law by limiting or stopping trade or cutting economic aid

illicitly – adv. illegally; in a way not permitted or acceptable

unintended – adj. not planned as a purpose or goal

consequences – n.(pl.) something that happens as a result of a particular action or set of conditions

1 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

2 diversify   

v.（使）不同，（使）变得多样化

参考例句：

• Our company is trying to diversify.我们公司正力图往多样化方面发展。
• Hills and woods diversify the landscape.山陵和树木点缀景色。

3 lures   

吸引力，魅力（lure的复数形式）

参考例句：

• He left home because of the lures of life in the city. 他离家是由于都市生活的诱惑。
• Perhaps it is the desire for solitude or the chance of making an unexpected discovery that lures men down to the depths of the earth. 可能正是寻觅幽静的去处，或者找个猎奇的机会的欲望引诱着人们进入地球的深处。

4 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。

5 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

6 know-how   

n.知识；技术；诀窍

参考例句：

• He hasn't got the know-how to run a farm.他没有经营农场的专业知识。
• I don't have much know-how about engines.发动机方面的技术知识我知之甚少。

7 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

8 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

9 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

10 illicitly   

违法地，不正地

参考例句：

• That substance illicitly to fool quality-inspection testers because it can mimic the properties of protein. 乳制品之所以添加三聚氰胺是因为它可以虚增蛋白质含量、在质量测试中蒙混过关。
• Western governments international bodies should police Gaza's borders and crossing-points to stop weapons illicitly coming in. 西方政府和国际组织应该巡查加沙边界和交叉区域，阻止武器的非法流入。

11 petroleum   

n.原油，石油

参考例句：

• The Government of Iran advanced the price of petroleum last week.上星期伊朗政府提高了石油价格。
• The purpose of oil refinery is to refine crude petroleum.炼油厂的主要工作是提炼原油。

12 banking   

n.银行业，银行学，金融业

参考例句：

• John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
• He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。

13 shipping   

n.船运（发货，运输，乘船）

参考例句：

• We struck a bargain with an American shipping firm.我们和一家美国船运公司谈成了一笔生意。
• There's a shipping charge of ￡5 added to the price.价格之外另加五英镑运输费。

14 modernized   

使现代化，使适应现代需要( modernize的过去式和过去分词 )； 现代化，使用现代方法

参考例句：

• By 1985 the entire railway network will have been modernized. 等到1985年整个铁路网就实现现代化了。
• He set about rebuilding France, and made it into a brilliant-looking modernized imperialism. 他试图重建法国，使它成为一项表面华丽的现代化帝业。

15 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

16 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。