Jeremy wrote:
] I don't see why you're so quick to discount their
] capabilities.

Maybe I am being quick to discount their capabilities.. shrug. I just think its more likely that South Korea is doing this to encourage concern about computer security.

And I will stick to the point that a North Korea based hacking force is next to useless. 100 skilled hackers _inside_ the country is going to get you nowhere. 100 skilled hackers outside the country, thats another story..

] Your basic hacking 101 isn't exactly rocket science. If they
] can build ballistic missiles and operate nuclear reactors, I
] think they can handle a little hacking. It takes very little
] actual skill to wreak lots of havoc. Elite skill is what
] enables the hacker to accomplish the mission without
] wreaking havoc. It's not clear they are claiming to have
] elite skill just yet.

True.. Overall, worms/virii are the most damaging things, and they do not take mad skills or large amounts of resources to create and deploy. It also does not take a force of 100 hackers a year to create these things.. It takes a few mildly skilled individuals. The numbers stated just really lead me to believe that this is bullshit.. It just dosen't make sense..

] I find it hard to believe the government can't afford
] computers when a capable PC can be had for $100. Internet
] access via satellite phone (Iridium or any of numerous others)
] is globally available and requires zero local infrastructure.

Its not cost, its availability.. I remember a few years ago Kim's son getting turned away from a visit to JP with a forged passport, that he claimed was to visit Tokyo Disney, when it was widely believed that he was going to purchase computer gear. No one will export it to them. Kim's son is behind North Korea's IT education program, but it appears he needs to go on clandestine missions out of the country just to get a few PCs..

Recently they showed up at the Comdex in Bejing to show off their warez, which consisted of a webpage. Of course, they had claimed to have everything from translation software to AI beforehand..

Samgsung has a software lab in town, which sounds more like a token gesture then anything else.. There is a Canadian chairity that has opened a computer lab. Thats about the only stuff that shows up when you start Googling around for "North Korea computer".. Other then how Kim is really proud of the three computers he owns and his high speed net connection to China, which he uses to browse the Internet for at least two hours every day.. And how could I forget the "Computer Fatigue" softdrink!

They really reek the impression that they are totally ass backward. Of course, the information I'm basing my opinions off of could be wrong.. You see a number of articles that say things like "North Korea to be future IT powerhouse", but there is nothing to back that up, and alot to detract from it..

Kim _clearly_ has penis envy over South Korea's IT-mecca, which is damn impressive by any standards..

] Once you're on the 'net (in a nutshell):
]
] $ wget -r freshmeat.net
] $ splint *
]
] I am willing to bet that you'll find plenty to work with.

Well, they do have one high speed net connection to China.. Which you can be sure is _very_ closely watched..

Then there are sat phones.. Anything going out over a sat might as well be cc'd to the CIA and its S.KR, PRC, and JP counterparts. With crypto overhead, the average sat phone is down to less then 2k of usable bandwidth.. Keep in mind, that the jerky video we got out of Iraq took two phones to get out, one for video, one for audio. The non-jerkey stuff was using uplinks that you can be safely assured are not available to North Korea without someone watching the traffic and having a finger on the kill switch. Be sure, communications in and out of that country are heavly monitored, and capable of being terminated at will..

If they have a hacking force thats usefull, its not based inside North Korea..

RE: CNN.com - N. Korean training hackers, Seoul says - May. 16, 2003