The first in-depth analysis of the operating system used by computers in North Korea reveals spy tools capable of monitoring even to documents executed when the device is offline.
The Red Star operating system was designed to look superficially at Apple’s OS X, but has hidden features that allow you to mark files and link them to a specific individual.
The hidden tools were discovered by Florian Schiess Grunow and Niklaus, two German researchers who conducted the analysis last month.
Grunow and Schiess They presented their findings Sunday at the “Chaos Communication Congress”, a conference held in Hamburg with security experts, cryptography, privacy and freedom of expression.
The researchers reviewed in detail the system code Red Star OS 3.0, which appeared online last year.
According to the BBC said Grunow, system developers “did a very good job” to copy the look of basic design and functionality Apple computers.
Peo they put a special added: any file uploaded to the system using a USB or other storage device can be marked disk, which allows the State to continue its path from one machine to another .
Red Star can also identify and delete unwanted files without authorization.
A system very Sophisticated
Grunow explains that the function to mark and trace files was designed in response to the proliferation of films and foreign music being shared offline.
“That you keep track of when a document was first opened in the Red Star operating system and by whom . Basically, it allows the state to track the file “he says.
The system will mark the files with individual serial numbers, although it is not known how easy it is for the State to link those numbers serially to a particular user.
An element that still has puzzled researchers is the discovery an extended version of software that allows you to mark files and that they have failed to fully understand, but Grunow think you can help identify users individually.
” What we have seen is the basic system for marking files, but found no evidence of the existence of a widespread mechanism that is much more sophisticated and has a different cryptography “he says.
“It could be that that file corresponds to your individual brand and they in registration link it with you, allowing them to track specific individuals “.
Red Star is set to make nearly impossible for users to modify the system. Attempts to disable your antivirus software or firewall Internet make the system restarts.
A mark to free speech
The idea create was initially conceived internal operating system, according to Grunow, Kim Jong-il, who led the country between 1994 and 2011.
“He said North Korea should create its own operating system and that is what they have done, “Grunow said.
” If you look at North Korea you see that Red Star is similar to the way the state functions. It is very controlled, they are much focus on system integrity and have mechanisms to track users, “he said.
As with many other things in the most isolated country in the world it is unknown how used in the Red Star system in North Korea .
Grunow considered likely to be installed in libraries and other public buildings, where computer use is decided by the state.
Red Star was built using Linux, a free and open source platform that can be freely modified by users and it was designed that way to make it as accessible as possible .
So to Grunow is an irony in the use that has given North Korea.
“They are using a system that was built to promote freedom of expression and improperly used for marking and tracing freedom of expression “ said.
More ironic is still the name of the file used by Red Star to pursue suspicious files machine.
“The file you are and that is used by the antivirus system called Angae. That means mist or fog, something dark and it is not transparent. We have no idea why they chose that name, but it is appropriate, right? “he says.
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