UK blames North Korea for WannaCry attacks
The United Kingdom released its final report Friday on the WannaCry ransomware attacks that caused mass disruption in its hospital system, with a U.K. official saying the country believes the attacks originated in North Korea.
"This attack, we believe quite strongly that it came from a foreign state," Ben Wallace, a junior minister for security, told BBC 4 Radio, adding that the government was "as sure as possible" that nation was North Korea.
NHS 'could have prevented' WannaCry ransomware attack
The report said NHS trusts had not acted on critical alerts from NHS Digital and a warning from the Department of Health and the Cabinet Office in 2014 to patch or migrate away from vulnerable older software.
The Department of Health also lacked important information, the report said. "Before 12 May 2017, the department had no formal mechanism for assessing whether NHS organisations had complied with its advice and guidance."
Organisations could also have better managed their computers' firewalls - but in many cases they did not, it said.
NHS organisations have not reported any cases of harm to patients or of their data being stolen as a result of WannaCry.
Also at NPR.
(Score: 2) by Whoever on Monday October 30 2017, @01:24AM (2 children)
... because the Western powers don't have a record of over-stating the capabilities of their adversaries, do they?
(Score: 2) by takyon on Monday October 30 2017, @01:46AM (1 child)
Yeah, we hear you, you're skeptical and a cynic like everyone else here. Just don't let it cloud your vision.
North Korean Hack of U.S. War Plans Shows Off Cyber Skills [bloomberg.com]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_in_North_Korea#Hackers [wikipedia.org]
In North Korea, Hackers Are a Handpicked, Pampered Elite [soylentnews.org]
North Korea 'Hacks South's Military Cyber Command' [soylentnews.org]
South Korean Government Report Suggests North Koreans Hack for Cash, Not Secrets [soylentnews.org]
New US Sanctions for North Korea Following Sony Hack [soylentnews.org]
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Monday October 30 2017, @11:09AM
The hack of military stuff is believable but the other stuff and wannacry? All that "evidence" has just been from the US Gov or other non-credible sources.
http://www.businessinsider.com/north-korea-sony-hack-2016-6/ [businessinsider.com]
Just like the claims that NK was behind the Bangladesh Bank hack. It's just as likely or more that some Filipino hackers did it - the money went to a bank in Philippines and then vanished into their casinos:
http://fortune.com/2016/12/13/swift-bangladesh-2/ [fortune.com]
The US Gov has lied so many times about such stuff why believe them on this? They're not a credible witness at all.