UN: North Korean Hackers and Criminals Collaborate with Asian Money Laundering Networks

The United Nations states that North Korean hackers, along with fraudsters and drug traffickers in Southeast Asia, are jointly utilizing money laundering and underground banking networks, with casinos and cryptocurrency exchanges being the main venues for these types of organized crime. In a report released on Monday, January 15, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime noted that it has observed 'several instances' of this joint exploitation by hackers, including the North Korean 'Lazarus Group,' in the Mekong region, including Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia. Reuters reported that during a phone call regarding the UNODC report, an unnamed individual at the North Korean mission to the UN in Geneva stated that they were 'unfamiliar with the matter' and that previous reports about Lazarus were 'all speculation and misinformation.' The Lazarus Group, which the US claims is controlled by North Korean intelligence, has been accused of being involved in a series of cyberattacks and known ransomware incidents. The funds stolen by North Korean hackers are a primary source of financing for Pyongyang and its weapons programs. The UNODC report states that casinos and entertainment centers in Southeast Asia, which facilitate gambling for wealthy individuals and illegal cryptocurrency transactions, have become 'essential pieces' of the banking structure used by organized crime in the region. According to the report, casinos are capable of 'moving and laundering vast amounts of cryptocurrency and cash, and creating channels for the effective integration of billions of dollars of criminal proceeds into the formal financial system' in an untraceable manner. In this context, the role of the Islamic Republic in cyberattacks against the US and other countries is also noteworthy. Voice of America previously reported, citing the Times of Israel, that Iranian hackers impersonated the American cybersecurity company 'F5' and sent a fake email to IT officials of several Israeli companies and organizations. This email contained instructions to download something that appeared to be an update but was actually a type of malware. Additionally, Anne Neuberger, Deputy National Security Advisor for Cyber and Emerging Technology, stated in an interview on December 9 that the recent attacks by the Iranian hacking group 'Cyber Avengers' on several American organizations were not complex and had a 'minimal impact' on the water system. Sources: Reuters and previous reports from Voice of America.