By Munir Kotadia, ZDNet Australia 12 October 2004
An army of more than 500 hackers hired by the North Korean military could find Australian businesses a "softer target" than their US or European-based counterparts, according to security experts.
The hacking army’s mission is to break into South Korean, Japanese and American corporate networks to gather intelligence and steal trade secrets, according to reports.
But security experts are concerned because although Australian-based corporates’ hold the same intellectual property as their US and EU-based offices, they are not as paranoid about security.
A US security expert who requested anonymity said Australia could provide a "back door" into corporate networks and provide the North Koreans’ with intellectual property worth billions of dollars.
"Countries like China and North Korea are not exactly poster children for copyright enforcement. North Korea’s economic position is not favourable and that makes it more dangerous. They want the ability to manufacture goods better and cheaper," the security expert said.
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