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unit under the GBR is Office 121, which is a cyber warfare unit that possesses world-class hacking abilities.[124] In May 2011, Im Chae Ho, the vice president of the KAIST Cyber Security Research Center, commented that North Korean hackers had 10 times the strike capability of their South Korean counterparts, and are at a stage where they can directly attack South Korea’s infrastructure through cyber terrorism.[125] North Korea has expressed interest in damaging South Korea’s infrastructure, including nuclear power plants and stock market systems, via the Internet.[126]

In 2010 the DPRK increased the priority of its cyber warfare unit (Office 121) to about 3,000 personnel. North Korean computers run off a Linux variant called Red Star, which has an interface similar to Windows, except with a red star replacing the Windows button at the bottom left.[127]

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[120] Kevin Coleman, “Is North Korea poised to revolutionize cyber warfare?”, Defense Systems, November 15, 2010, accessed August 31, 2011, http://defensesystems.com/Articles/2010/11/17/Digital-Conflict-North-Korean-cyberwarfare-capabilities.aspx?Page=1.

[121] “N.Korea Trains Up Hacker Squad,” The Chosunilbo, March 8, 2011, accessed August 31, 2011, http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2011/03/08/2011030800611.html.

[122] Ibid.

[123] Jeremy Laurence, “North Korea hacker threat grows as cyber unit grows: defector,” Reuters, June 1, 2011, accessed August 31, 2011, http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/01/us-korea-north-hackers-idUSTRE7501U420110601.

[124] Mok Yong Jae, “North Korea’s Powerful Cyber Warfare Capabilities,” Daily NK, May 4, 2011, accessed August 31, 2011, http://www.dailynk.com/english/read.php?cataId=nk00400&num=7647.

[125] Ibid.

[126] “North Korea And The Cyber Bandits,” Strategy Page, March 25, 2011, accessed August 31, 2011, http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htiw/20110325.aspx.

[127] Joseph L. Flatley, “North Korea’s Red Star OS takes the ‘open’ out of ‘open source’,” Engadget, March 4, 2010, accessed August 31, 2011, http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/04/north-koreas-red-star-os-takes-the-open-out-of-open-source/.

Estonia

In the aftermath of the 2007 attacks, Estonia established a Cyber Defense Center in 2008 with the assistance of NATO.[128] Since then, the center has been fully accredited as a NATO Center of Excellence, bringing with it funding and multinational support. Seven NATO member nations—Estonia, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, and Spain—formally signed into the creation of the center. The United States is also an observer member, and Estonia has recently invited Iceland to participate in the center.[129] According to the Estonian Minister of Defense, after a visit to the US Cyber Command, Estonian cyber capabilities are considered in high regard by the United States.[130]

In addition to the center, Estonia has also established a Cyber Defense League of volunteers that, in the case of conflict, would perform duties under a unified military command. The volunteers are comprised of cyber security professionals in the private and public sectors who carry out regular weekend exercises to prepare for possible cyber situations. This is considered so vital to Estonian national security that the league is considering a draft to ensure all experts are available in the event of a crisis. While volunteer cyber armies are not unheard of, their motives and loyalty are considered uncontrollable. Estonia is likely trying to harness a cheap and already developed national tool.[131]

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[128] “NATO launches cyber defence centre in Estonia,” Space War: Your World at War (May 2008), accessed August 30, 2011, http://www.spacewar.com/reports/NATO_launches_cyber_defence_centre_in_Estonia_999.html.

[129] “Foreign Minister Paet Invites Iceland to Participate in Cyber Defence Centre,” Estonian Embassy in Washington, accessed August 30, 2011, http://www.estemb.org/news/aid-1306.

[130] “Aaviksoo: Estonian cyberdefence is held in high regard in US,” Estonian Ministry of Defence, accessed August 30, 2011, http://www.mod.gov.ee/en/aaviksoo-estonian-cyberdefence-is-held-in-high-regard-in-us.