China Is Reluctant to Blame North Korea, Its Ally, for Cyberattack -<br />By PAUL MOZUR and JANE PERLEZMAY 17, 2017<br />North Korea may be politically isolated, but the country is suspected of having thousands of hackers capable<br />of carrying out global cyberattacks, like the recent ransomware attack in more than 150 countries.<br />If we add another virus, the image of North Korea in the eyes of China will be even worse.”<br />Within China news organizations, both state-run and private, reported on the hacking<br />attacks, as well as the possible links to North Korea, hours after it occurred.<br />Regarding the ransomware attack, China analysts say Beijing will hesitate before directly<br />casting blame on North Korea even if evidence directly ties the North to the attack.<br />As evidence mounts that North Korea may have links to a ransomware attack<br />that destroyed more than 200,000 computers globally — and hit 40,000 institutions in China — China’s response has been muted, like a parent unwilling to confront an unruly teenager.<br />Security analysts say some attacks are also carried out from North Korea, but are limited by the fact<br />that the country has only one main portal to the internet, through China’s state telecom operator China Unicom.<br />Security analysts say North Korean hackers operate out of hotels, restaurants<br />and internet cafes in northeastern Chinese cities like Shenyang and Dandong, which are outposts for trade with North Korea.
