--- title: North Korea & Why Small States Have Big Cyber Capabilities description: Pyongyang’s cyber playbook includes infiltrating systems and extracting data, DDOS attacks and potentially destructive computer worm capabilities. image: https://reflare.com/hubfs/Blog%20image%20in%20post/North%20Korea%20%26%20Why%20Small%20States%20Have%20Big%20Cyber%20Capabilities.png --- [![Reflare home](https://reflare.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Reflare%20website%20images/Reflare%20Logos/reflare%20logo.png?width=421&height=150&name=reflare%20logo.png "Reflare home")](https://reflare.com) [![logo](https://reflare.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Reflare%20website%20images/Reflare%20Logos/logo.png?width=262&height=82&name=logo.png "logo")](https://reflare.com/act3) [![reflare logo](https://reflare.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Reflare%20website%20images/Reflare%20Logos/reflare%20logo.png?width=168&height=60&name=reflare%20logo.png "reflare logo")](https://reflare.com/act3) - [Galena](https://reflare.com/galena) - [Galena Overview](https://reflare.com/galena) - [Galena for Tech Teams](https://reflare.com/technical-teams) - [Galena for L&D Teams](https://reflare.com/learning-development) - [Galena Security and Deployment](https://reflare.com/security-deployment) - Training - [Capture the Flag](https://reflare.com/rctf-reflare-capture-the-flag) - [Developers](https://reflare.com/rcsd) - [Administrators](https://reflare.com/rcsa) - [PCI DSS](https://reflare.com/rcsd) - Audit - [PCI DSS](https://reflare.com/pcidss) - [PCI 3DS](https://reflare.com/pci3ds) - [PCI PIN](https://reflare.com/pcipin) - [PCI DSS ASV](https://reflare.com/pcidssasv) - [Penetration Testing](https://reflare.com/penetration) - [Vulnerability Scanning](https://reflare.com/vulnerability) - [Advisory and Management](https://reflare.com/advisory) - [Research](https://reflare.com/research) - [Anatomy of a Breach](https://reflare.com/research/tag/anatomy-of-a-breach) - [High Tech](https://reflare.com/research/tag/high-tech) - [Infosec Culture](https://reflare.com/research/tag/infosec-culture) - [Infrastructure](https://reflare.com/research/tag/infrastructure) - [Normal People and Infosec](https://reflare.com/research/tag/normal-people-and-infosec) - [WTFWIB](https://whythefuckwasibreached.com/) - [About](https://reflare.com/about) - [Contact](https://reflare.com/contact) - [Company](https://reflare.com/about) - [Careers](https://reflare.com/careers) - [Service Status](https://statuspage.reflare.com/) - [日本語](https://jp.reflare.com/) [Login](https://reflare.com/login) [Buy Now](https://www.hubspot.com/) [Login](https://www.hubspot.com/)Login to your Reflare account - [Galena](https://reflare.com/galena) - [Galena Overview](https://reflare.com/galena) - [Galena for Tech Teams](https://reflare.com/technical-teams) - [Galena for L&D Teams](https://reflare.com/learning-development) - [Galena Security and Deployment](https://reflare.com/security-deployment) - Training - [Capture the Flag](https://reflare.com/rctf-reflare-capture-the-flag) - [Developers](https://reflare.com/rcsd) - [Administrators](https://reflare.com/rcsa) - [PCI DSS](https://reflare.com/rcsd) - Audit - [PCI DSS](https://reflare.com/pcidss) - [PCI 3DS](https://reflare.com/pci3ds) - [PCI PIN](https://reflare.com/pcipin) - [PCI DSS ASV](https://reflare.com/pcidssasv) - [Penetration Testing](https://reflare.com/penetration) - [Vulnerability Scanning](https://reflare.com/vulnerability) - [Advisory and Management](https://reflare.com/advisory) - [Research](https://reflare.com/research) - [Anatomy of a Breach](https://reflare.com/research/tag/anatomy-of-a-breach) - [High Tech](https://reflare.com/research/tag/high-tech) - [Infosec Culture](https://reflare.com/research/tag/infosec-culture) - [Infrastructure](https://reflare.com/research/tag/infrastructure) - [Normal People and Infosec](https://reflare.com/research/tag/normal-people-and-infosec) - [WTFWIB](https://whythefuckwasibreached.com/) - [About](https://reflare.com/about) - [Contact](https://reflare.com/contact) - [Company](https://reflare.com/about) - [Careers](https://reflare.com/careers) - [Service Status](https://statuspage.reflare.com/) - [日本語](https://jp.reflare.com/) [Buy Now](https://www.hubspot.com/) Research #### Share this [Share on Twitter](https://twitter.com/share?url=https://reflare.com/research/north-korea-why-small-states-have-big-cyber-capabilities&text=North%20Korea%20&%20Why%20Small%20States%20Have%20Big%20Cyber%20Capabilities) [Share on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://reflare.com/research/north-korea-why-small-states-have-big-cyber-capabilities&t=North%20Korea%20&%20Why%20Small%20States%20Have%20Big%20Cyber%20Capabilities) [Share on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://reflare.com/research/north-korea-why-small-states-have-big-cyber-capabilities&t=North%20Korea%20&%20Why%20Small%20States%20Have%20Big%20Cyber%20Capabilities) # North Korea & Why Small States Have Big Cyber Capabilities by [**Reflare Research Team**](https://reflare.com/research/author/reflare-research-team) on Jun 16, 2017 6:06:00 PM Pyongyang’s cyber playbook includes denial of service attacks, infiltrating systems and extracting data, DDOS attacks against websites and potentially destructive computer worm capabilities. First Published 16th June 2017  ![North Korea & Why Small States Have Big Cyber Capabilities](https://reflare.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog%20image%20in%20post/North%20Korea%20%26%20Why%20Small%20States%20Have%20Big%20Cyber%20Capabilities.png?width=672&height=448&name=North%20Korea%20%26%20Why%20Small%20States%20Have%20Big%20Cyber%20Capabilities.png) *"We might be hungry, but we'll see you at Black Hat."* 4 min read  |  Reflare Research Team The United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team, better known as US-CERT issued a [technical alert](https://www.us-cert.gov/ncas/alerts/TA17-164A) this week outlining what they claim to have identified as a North Korean hacking team. ## The report The team - named Hidden Cobra - is alleged to have been active since 2009, and responsible for several cyber attacks using mostly exploits against known vulnerable software and botnets. Popular [rumours](https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/05/16/wannacrypt_north_korea_theory/) - which we explicitly do not intend to confirm - even attribute the recent WannaCry ransomware attacks to Hidden Cobra. The report includes a large amount of technical information such as IP ranges, targeted applications, fingerprints and signatures. This information released by US-CERT is notably much more detailed than was [released by the FBI](https://reflare.com/research/the-us-response-to-cyber-attacks) in reports leading to US sanctions against Russia. ## Who is US-CERT? US-CERT is a central agency which coordinates the sharing of threat information and threat responses among US organizations and companies. It also cooperates with similar CERTs in other countries such as Japan’s JP-CERT or Germany’s CERT-Bund. CERTs usually hold no political interests and perform a solely technical role. The level of trust in them from the general industry is high. ## Why is US-CERT focused on North Korea? While military strong houses such as the US, Russia or China have well-known cyber attack capabilities, the proportionally large number of attacks attributed to small states such as North Korea and Palestine or even regional powers such as radical ideological movements or terrorist organizations often leads to confusion. Why is it that smaller actors seemingly play a disproportionally large role in cyber attacks? The determining factors are cost and leverage. A small actor would be hard pressed to significantly increase a physical military presence. Doubling the strength of an army usually means either doubling the number of conscripts - an extremely unpopular and expensive measure - or drastically increasing the efficiency of weaponry - a measure that would be equally costly and often technically impossible. But on the point of state security, conversely, a state-sponsored hacking team can consist of as few as a dozen members, and be well equipped for a fraction of the cost of a single warplane. While the cost of so far unknown vulnerabilities on the black market is steadily increasing, even highly critical exploits in widely deployed systems can be acquired for single-digit millions of dollars or less. In other terms, for the price of developing a single Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM), a small actor can at this point in time develop and fund one of the strongest offensive hacking teams in the world. And while the development of an ICBM may draw international sanctions, the secretive nature of cyber security means that consequences for development and even use of the new asset are highly unlikely. ## Summary While we cannot confirm US-CERT’s recent report, the information contained therein is consistent. Relatively small governments and regional actors are developing disproportionally strong cyber security capabilities as the return on investment is far better than compared to traditional military spending. We expect this trend, within the realm of international security matters, and beyond, to continue for the foreseeable future. Topics: [Infosec Culture](https://reflare.com/research/tag/infosec-culture) #### Share this [Share on Twitter](https://twitter.com/share?url=https://reflare.com/research/north-korea-why-small-states-have-big-cyber-capabilities&text=North%20Korea%20&%20Why%20Small%20States%20Have%20Big%20Cyber%20Capabilities) [Share on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://reflare.com/research/north-korea-why-small-states-have-big-cyber-capabilities&t=North%20Korea%20&%20Why%20Small%20States%20Have%20Big%20Cyber%20Capabilities) [Share on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://reflare.com/research/north-korea-why-small-states-have-big-cyber-capabilities&t=North%20Korea%20&%20Why%20Small%20States%20Have%20Big%20Cyber%20Capabilities) - Recent - Topics - Archive Recent Topics - [Infosec Culture (113)](https://reflare.com/research/tag/infosec-culture) - [Anatomy of a Breach (60)](https://reflare.com/research/tag/anatomy-of-a-breach) - [Normal People and Infosec (42)](https://reflare.com/research/tag/normal-people-and-infosec) - [High Tech (31)](https://reflare.com/research/tag/high-tech) - [Infrastructure (21)](https://reflare.com/research/tag/infrastructure) - [Capture the Flag (8)](https://reflare.com/research/tag/capture-the-flag) See all Archive - [June 2026 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2026/06) - [May 2026 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2026/05) - [April 2026 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2026/04) - [March 2026 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2026/03) - [February 2026 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2026/02) - [January 2026 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2026/01) - [December 2025 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2025/12) - [November 2025 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2025/11) - [October 2025 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2025/10) - [September 2025 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2025/09) - [August 2025 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2025/08) - [July 2025 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2025/07) - [June 2025 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2025/06) - [May 2025 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2025/05) - [April 2025 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2025/04) - [March 2025 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2025/03) - [February 2025 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2025/02) - [January 2025 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2025/01) - [December 2024 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2024/12) - [November 2024 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2024/11) - [October 2024 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2024/10) - [September 2024 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2024/09) - [August 2024 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2024/08) - [July 2024 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2024/07) - [June 2024 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2024/06) - [April 2024 (2)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2024/04) - [February 2024 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2024/02) - [January 2024 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2024/01) - [December 2023 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2023/12) - [November 2023 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2023/11) - [October 2023 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2023/10) - [September 2023 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2023/09) - [August 2023 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2023/08) - [July 2023 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2023/07) - [June 2023 (2)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2023/06) - [May 2023 (2)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2023/05) - [April 2023 (3)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2023/04) - [March 2023 (4)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2023/03) - [February 2023 (3)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2023/02) - [January 2023 (5)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2023/01) - [December 2022 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2022/12) - [November 2022 (2)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2022/11) - [October 2022 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2022/10) - [September 2022 (11)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2022/09) - [August 2022 (5)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2022/08) - [July 2022 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2022/07) - [May 2022 (3)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2022/05) - [April 2022 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2022/04) - [February 2022 (4)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2022/02) - [January 2022 (3)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2022/01) - [December 2021 (2)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2021/12) - [November 2021 (3)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2021/11) - [October 2021 (2)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2021/10) - [September 2021 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2021/09) - [August 2021 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2021/08) - [June 2021 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2021/06) - [May 2021 (14)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2021/05) - [February 2021 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2021/02) - [October 2020 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2020/10) - [September 2020 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2020/09) - [July 2020 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2020/07) - [June 2020 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2020/06) - [May 2020 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2020/05) - [April 2020 (2)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2020/04) - [March 2020 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2020/03) - [February 2020 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2020/02) - [January 2020 (3)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2020/01) - [December 2019 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2019/12) - [November 2019 (2)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2019/11) - [October 2019 (3)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2019/10) - [September 2019 (5)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2019/09) - [August 2019 (2)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2019/08) - [July 2019 (3)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2019/07) - [June 2019 (3)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2019/06) - [May 2019 (2)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2019/05) - [April 2019 (3)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2019/04) - [March 2019 (2)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2019/03) - [February 2019 (3)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2019/02) - [January 2019 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2019/01) - [December 2018 (3)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2018/12) - [November 2018 (5)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2018/11) - [October 2018 (4)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2018/10) - [September 2018 (3)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2018/09) - [August 2018 (3)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2018/08) - [July 2018 (4)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2018/07) - [June 2018 (4)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2018/06) - [May 2018 (2)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2018/05) - [April 2018 (4)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2018/04) - [March 2018 (5)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2018/03) - [February 2018 (3)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2018/02) - [January 2018 (3)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2018/01) - [December 2017 (2)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2017/12) - [November 2017 (4)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2017/11) - [October 2017 (3)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2017/10) - [September 2017 (5)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2017/09) - [August 2017 (3)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2017/08) - [July 2017 (3)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2017/07) - [June 2017 (4)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2017/06) - [May 2017 (4)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2017/05) - [April 2017 (2)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2017/04) - [March 2017 (4)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2017/03) - [February 2017 (2)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2017/02) - [January 2017 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2017/01) - [December 2016 (1)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2016/12) - [November 2016 (4)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2016/11) - [October 2016 (2)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2016/10) - [September 2016 (4)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2016/09) - [August 2016 (5)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2016/08) - [July 2016 (3)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2016/07) - [June 2016 (5)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2016/06) - [May 2016 (3)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2016/05) - [April 2016 (4)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2016/04) - [March 2016 (5)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2016/03) - [February 2016 (4)](https://reflare.com/research/archive/2016/02) See all ### Subscribe by email #### About Reflare We help customers increase cyber resilience with the #1 hands-on IT security training platform. Our developer, administrator, and non-technical user training programs enhance user skills, fulfil your compliance needs, and contribute to developing more secure technologies. Legal - [Terms of Service](https://reflare.com/terms) - [Privacy Statement](https://reflare.com/privacy) - [Cookie Info](https://reflare.com/cookies) - [Copyright and Citation Enquiries](https://reflare.com/citation) - [Contact](https://reflare.com/contact) © 2026 Reflare Ltd, and/or its affiliates.   /   In business since 2009. ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Reflare Research Team", "url" : "https://reflare.com/research/author/reflare-research-team" }, "dateModified" : "2023-11-21T13:58:49.932Z", "datePublished" : "2017-06-16T17:06:00.000Z", "headline" : "North Korea & Why Small States Have Big Cyber Capabilities", "image" : [ "https://reflare.com/hubfs/Blog%20image%20in%20post/North%20Korea%20&%20Why%20Small%20States%20Have%20Big%20Cyber%20Capabilities.png" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://reflare.com/research/north-korea-why-small-states-have-big-cyber-capabilities", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://reflare.com/hubfs/Reflare%20website%20images/Reflare%20Logos/logo.png" }, "name" : "Reflare" } } ```