Ransomware attack: Indian-origin Google researcher hints North Korea link

As the world struggles to identify cybercriminals behind the global ransowmware attack that hit 150 countries, an Indian-origin security researcher working with Google has claimed that the hackers may have links to North Korea.

According to Neel Mehta's discovery, the "Lazarus Group" that works on behalf of North Koreans may be behind the attack as the hacking group has, in the past, used the same coding and tools as were used in "WannaCrypt" — the software used in the current hacking into the Microsoft operating software, the BBC reported on Tuesday.

"Neel Mehta's discovery is the most significant clue to date regarding the origins of WannaCrypt," the report quoted Moscow-based cyber security firm Kaspersky Lab as saying.

"Lazarus Group", that according to Mehta is based in China, was responsible for a major hack on Sony Pictures in 2014 and another on a Bangladeshi bank in 2016. Read More