US and N Korea prepare to engage in cyber war

THE US and North Korea are planning cyber attacks against each other, despite a recent diplomatic détente during the Winter Olympics, security and intelligence officials have reported.

North Korea is stepping up its cyber capabilities to target international aerospace and defence industries through a shadowy hackers group called Reaper, a report revealed last night.

The group, also known as APT37, was identified by an US private security company which tracks cyber-attackers around the world.

It reported that North Korea is using malware to infiltrate computer networks and represents “an advanced persistent threat” that has dramatically increased the reach of its already formidable cyber operations. It follows revelations over the past few days that the US is planning cyber attacks in an effort to bring to heel the regime of Kim Jong-un.

Washington’s potential plans for a series of “bloody nose” strikes on targets in North Korea, as revealed late last year by The Daily Telegraph, could focus on countering digital threats rather than on conventional warfare.