Incident: North Korean Defector Data Leak at South Korean Resettlement Center

Published Date: 2018-12-28

Postmortem Analysis
Timeline 1. The software failure incident of the North Korean defector hack, where personal data of almost 1,000 defectors was leaked, happened in December 2018 [79113].
System The software failure incident in the reported article involved a hack that led to the leaking of personal data of almost 1,000 North Korean defectors. The specific system(s) that failed in this incident are: 1. Personal computer at the state-run North Gyeongsang resettlement centre that was infected with a malicious code [79113].
Responsible Organization 1. The software failure incident, involving the hacking and leaking of personal data of North Korean defectors, was caused by unidentified hackers who infected a personal computer at a South Korean resettlement centre with a malicious code [79113].
Impacted Organization 1. North Korean defectors - Almost 1,000 North Korean defectors had their personal data leaked due to the hack at a South Korean resettlement centre [79113].
Software Causes 1. The software cause of the failure incident was a personal computer at the state-run centre being "infected with a malicious code" [79113].
Non-software Causes 1. Lack of cybersecurity measures in place at the South Korean resettlement centre [79113] 2. Potential lack of awareness or training on cybersecurity best practices among staff at the centre [79113] 3. Insufficient monitoring and detection systems to identify and prevent cyber-attacks [79113]
Impacts 1. Personal data of almost 1,000 North Korean defectors, including names, birth dates, and addresses, were leaked due to the hack at a South Korean resettlement centre [79113]. 2. There are concerns that the leaked information could endanger the defectors' family members who remain in North Korea [79113]. 3. The hack has caused fear and a sense of insecurity among other North Korean defectors living in South Korea, leading them to consider changing their names, phone numbers, and home addresses for safety reasons [79113].
Preventions 1. Implementing robust cybersecurity measures such as regular security audits, penetration testing, and intrusion detection systems could have helped prevent the hack on the computer at the South Korean resettlement centre [79113]. 2. Educating staff members on cybersecurity best practices, including avoiding clicking on suspicious links or downloading unknown files, could have reduced the likelihood of the malicious code infecting the personal computer at the centre [79113]. 3. Enhancing employee awareness about social engineering tactics, such as phishing attempts, could have minimized the risk of unauthorized access to sensitive information [79113].
Fixes 1. Enhancing cybersecurity measures at the South Korean resettlement centres, such as implementing stronger firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and regular security audits to prevent future hacks [79113]. 2. Conducting thorough investigations to identify the hackers responsible for the attack and taking legal action against them to deter future cyber-attacks [79113]. 3. Providing additional training and awareness programs for staff and defectors on cybersecurity best practices to prevent similar incidents in the future [79113].
References 1. Unification ministry 2. Sokeel Park, South Korea Country Director for Liberty in North Korea 3. Simon Choi, expert on North Korean cyber-warfare 4. Cyber-security experts 5. North Korean state media

Software Taxonomy of Faults

Category Option Rationale
Recurring one_organization (a) The software failure incident having happened again at one_organization: - An expert on North Korean cyber-warfare, Simon Choi, mentioned that there was a previous attempt to hack a Hana centre last year, indicating a potential recurrence of such incidents within the same organization [79113]. (b) The software failure incident having happened again at multiple_organization: - The article does not provide specific information about similar incidents happening at other organizations or with their products and services.
Phase (Design/Operation) design, operation (a) The software failure incident in the article is related to the design phase. The incident occurred due to a personal computer at a South Korean resettlement centre being "infected with a malicious code" [79113]. This indicates that the failure was a result of contributing factors introduced during the system development or system updates, leading to a security breach. (b) The software failure incident in the article is also related to the operation phase. The incident involved the personal data of almost 1,000 North Korean defectors being leaked after the computer at the resettlement centre was hacked [79113]. This indicates that the failure was a result of contributing factors introduced by the operation or misuse of the system, leading to the data breach.
Boundary (Internal/External) within_system (a) The software failure incident in this case is within_system. The failure occurred due to a personal computer at a South Korean resettlement centre being hacked with a malicious code, leading to the leak of personal data of almost 1,000 North Korean defectors [79113]. The incident was a result of an internal security breach within the system of the resettlement centre.
Nature (Human/Non-human) non-human_actions, human_actions (a) The software failure incident in this case occurred due to non-human actions, specifically a computer at a South Korean resettlement centre being hacked with a malicious code, leading to the leak of personal data of almost 1,000 North Korean defectors [79113]. (b) Human actions also played a role in this incident as the hackers behind the cyber-attack are suspected to have intentionally targeted the state-run centre to access and leak the personal data of the North Korean defectors. Additionally, the article mentions ongoing investigations by the unification ministry and the police to prevent such incidents from happening again, indicating human intervention in response to the failure [79113].
Dimension (Hardware/Software) hardware, software (a) The software failure incident occurring due to hardware: - The article reports that a personal computer at the state-run centre was found to have been "infected with a malicious code" [79113]. - The incident was discovered after a malicious program was found installed on a desktop at a centre in North Gyeongsang province [79113]. (b) The software failure incident occurring due to software: - The incident involved a hack where the personal data of almost 1,000 North Korean defectors was leaked after a computer at a South Korean resettlement centre was hacked [79113]. - The hackers' identity and the origin of the cyber-attack are not yet confirmed, indicating a software-related attack [79113].
Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) malicious (a) The software failure incident in this case is malicious. The personal data leak of almost 1,000 North Korean defectors was a result of a hack where a computer at a South Korean resettlement centre was infected with a malicious code, leading to the leak of names, birth dates, and addresses of the defectors [79113]. The hackers' identity and the origin of the cyber-attack are not yet confirmed, but the incident is considered a large-scale information leak involving North Korean defectors, raising concerns about the safety of the defectors and their families [79113].
Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) unknown (a) The software failure incident related to the North Korean defector hack appears to be more aligned with poor_decisions. The incident was caused by a personal computer at a South Korean resettlement centre being "infected with a malicious code" [79113]. This indicates that the failure was a result of a deliberate and malicious act, rather than an accidental mistake or unintended decision. Additionally, the incident involved a deliberate cyber-attack aimed at compromising the personal data of almost 1,000 North Korean defectors, highlighting the intentional nature of the attack.
Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) development_incompetence, accidental (a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is evident in the North Korea defector hack incident. The personal data of almost 1,000 North Korean defectors was leaked after a computer at a South Korean resettlement center was hacked due to being "infected with a malicious code" [79113]. This incident highlights a failure in ensuring proper cybersecurity measures and protocols to protect sensitive information, indicating a lack of professional competence in safeguarding the data of vulnerable individuals. (b) The accidental aspect of the software failure incident is also present in the North Korea defector hack. The ministry discovered the leak after finding a malicious program installed on a desktop at a center in North Gyeongsang province [79113]. This discovery suggests that the incident was not intentional but rather a result of an accidental introduction of malicious software into the system, leading to the data breach.
Duration temporary The software failure incident reported in the article [79113] can be categorized as a temporary failure. The incident involved a hack where a personal computer at a South Korean resettlement center was infected with a malicious code, leading to the leak of personal data of almost 1,000 North Korean defectors. The hack was identified, and investigations by the unification ministry and the police are ongoing to prevent such incidents from happening again. This indicates that the failure was due to specific circumstances (hack) rather than being a permanent issue inherent in the system.
Behaviour crash (a) crash: The software failure incident in this case can be categorized as a crash. The incident involved a computer at a South Korean resettlement center being hacked, leading to the leaking of personal data of almost 1,000 North Korean defectors. The computer was found to have been "infected with a malicious code," indicating a system failure that resulted in the loss of state and the inability to perform its intended functions [79113]. (b) omission: The incident does not specifically mention a failure due to the system omitting to perform its intended functions at an instance(s). (c) timing: The incident does not indicate a failure due to the system performing its intended functions correctly, but too late or too early. (d) value: The incident does not suggest a failure due to the system performing its intended functions incorrectly. (e) byzantine: The incident does not describe a failure due to the system behaving erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions. (f) other: The behavior of the software failure incident in this case can be categorized as a crash, as described above.

IoT System Layer

Layer Option Rationale
Perception None None
Communication None None
Application None None

Other Details

Category Option Rationale
Consequence property, theoretical_consequence (d) property: People's material goods, money, or data was impacted due to the software failure The software failure incident involving the hack at a South Korean resettlement center led to the personal data of almost 1,000 North Korean defectors being leaked. The leaked information included their names, birth dates, and addresses [79113]. This data breach can have significant consequences for the affected individuals, potentially leading to identity theft, financial fraud, or other forms of harm related to the exposure of personal information.
Domain information (a) The failed system in this incident was related to the information industry as it involved a hack on a computer at a South Korean resettlement centre, leading to the leak of personal data of almost 1,000 North Korean defectors [79113]. The incident highlighted the vulnerability of systems handling sensitive information and the potential risks associated with cyber-attacks in the information sector.

Sources

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