North Korea rejects cyberattack claims as Kim Jong-un BLASTS the US as a ‘source of evil’

The outburst came after the Trump administration recently accused the rogue nation of conducting the WannaCry malware attack earlier this year.

The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said: “The US, a source of all social evils and a state of global cyber-crimes, is unreasonably accusing the DPRK without any forensic evidence. This cannot be construed other than as an expression of its inveterate repugnance towards the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).

“We can never tolerate the US’ reckless move of using the issue of cyber-attack for the purpose of making a direct accusation against our state.”

The accusations were labelled as a “grave political provocation” by the hermit kingdom as the media outlet declared it aimed at “inducing the international society into a confrontation against the DPRK by tarnishing the image of and demonising” North Korea.

KCNA went on: “The US move is also a direct challenge to our system and political power.

“Crystal clear is the purpose of the US trying to link us to the issue of a cyberattack at this very moment when it is hell-bent on making a harshest ‘sanctions resolution’ against us.”

The skewering of the US continued as the rogue state launched further threats set to push nations closer to World War 3 than ever.

KCNA added that North Korea “will never tolerate the US’ reckless moves against the DPRK and make all our efforts for defending our state and system.”

Earlier this week, Tom Bossert, the Homeland Security Advisor to Donald Trump, revealed that despot leader Kim Jong-un was behind the WannaCry malware cyber attack.

He stated: “Cybersecurity isn’t easy, but simple principles still apply. Accountability is one, cooperation another. They are the cornerstones of security and resilience in any society. In furtherance of both, and after careful investigation, the US today publicly attributes the massive ‘WannaCry’ cyberattack to North Korea.

“The attack spread indiscriminately across the world in May. It encrypted and rendered useless hundreds of thousands of computers in hospitals, schools, businesses and homes. While victims received ransom demands, paying did not unlock their computers. It was cowardly, costly and careless. The attack was widespread and cost billions, and North Korea is directly responsible.

Mr Bossert insisted that the UK also blames the rogue nation for the shocking provocation and that tech giant Microsoft had traced the root of the cyber attack back to Kim Jong-un.

He explained: “We do not make this allegation lightly. It is based on evidence. We are not alone with our findings, either. Other governments and private companies agree. The United Kingdom attributes the attack to North Korea, and Microsoft traced the attack to cyber affiliates of the North Korean government.

“The consequences and repercussions of WannaCry were beyond economic. The malicious software hit computers in the UK’s health-care sector particularly hard, compromising systems that perform critical work. These disruptions put lives at risk.

“The world is increasingly interconnected with new technologies, devices, networks and systems creating great convenience. Unfortunately, that provides bad actors opportunities to create mayhem with the hope of anonymity, relying on the complex world of ones and zeros to hide their hand. They have stolen intellectual property and done significant damage in every sector.

“North Korea has acted especially badly, largely unchecked, for more than a decade, and its malicious behaviour is growing more egregious. WannaCry was indiscriminately reckless.

“We call on the private sector to increase its accountability in the cyber realm by taking actions that deny North Korea and other bad actors the ability to launch reckless and destructive cyberattacks. We applaud Microsoft and others for acting on their own initiative last week, without any direction or participation by the US, to disrupt the activities of North Korean hackers.

“As for North Korea, it continues to threaten America, Europe and the rest of the world—and not just with its nuclear aspirations. It is increasingly using cyberattacks to fund its reckless behaviour and cause disruption across the world. Mr Trump has already pulled many levers of pressure to address North Korea’s unacceptable nuclear and missile developments, and we will continue to use our maximum pressure strategy to curb Pyongyang’s ability to mount attacks, cyber or otherwise.”

Last month, the UK’s Security Minister, Ben Wallace, blamed despot leader Kim Jong-un for the attack during an appearance on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

He declared: “It is widely believed in the community and across a number of countries that North Korea had taken this role.

“North Korea has been potentially linked to other attacks about raising foreign currency.”

The WannaCry cyber attack targeted computers running Windows operating systems and crippled computers at 81 health trusts across England.