APT groups linked to North Korea are attacking South Korean defense contractors.

South Korea's National Police Agency warns that threat actors linked to North Korea are targeting defense industry enterprises. Threat actors linked to North Korea are targeting defense industry enterprises to steal information on defense technology, according to South Korea's National Police Agency.

The North Korean APT groups Lazarus, Andariel, and Kimsuky have hacked several defense companies in South Korea. State-sponsored hackers targeted defense contractors by exploiting vulnerabilities in their systems and deploying malware.

The police warn that attacks are being carried out in the form of a total war involving several APT groups.

Details of the attacks:

• The APT Lazarus group successfully hacked an organization due to its poorly protected infrastructure.
• The Andariel APT group used a company employee's account to hack into the defense company's servers.
• The Kimsuky APT group exploited a vulnerability in a defense contractor's mail server to steal technical data.

The National Police Agency of South Korea recommends that defense industry companies and their contractors improve their cybersecurity. "Attempts by North Korean hackers targeting defense technologies will continue," the recommendation states. "The National Police Agency will continue to monitor and investigate state-sponsored hacking organizations linked to North Korea."