- North Korean cyber spies are targeting policy-makers, think-tank researchers and foreign policy experts to better understand where Western policy is headed on North Korea.
- The hacking group, which researchers dubbed Thallium or Kimsuky, has a long history of using “spear-phishing” emails that trick targets into giving up passwords or clicking attachments or links that load malware.
- The new tactic, which has reportedly been quite successful, is to contact the experts and ask them questions directly, posing as legitimate researchers.
- Among the other issues raised were China’s reaction in the event of a new nuclear test, and whether a “quieter” approach to North Korean “aggression” might be warranted.