Shea Cotton Articles

North Korean flag in the background a shadowed figure in a hoodie at a desk with the light of a laptop in front

How the US Plans to Crack Down on Ransom Payments to North Korean Hackers

Figuring out who is behind a ransom attack is a chronic problem in the cybersecurity world.

NK News

Why insurance companies might be stuck paying ransoms to North Korean hackers

North Korean hackers make ransoms cheaper than backup and restoration costs, making it likely companies will pay up.

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Expect a Surge in North Korean Missile Tests, and of Greater Range

North Korea is signaling this will be its busiest year of missile testing yet.

NK News

Judge Juche 2: North Korean (Mis)adventures in Uganda

We look at a failed construction project, attempts at insurance fraud, and the four lawsuits that resulted when everything went wrong.

OP#36: The Shadow Sector: North Korea’s Information Technology Networks

OP#36: The Shadow Sector: North Korea’s Information Technology Networks

North Korea’s global IT network undermines sanctions and poses grave cyber-security threats.

North Korea flag and stop sign (Src: Shutterstock)

Walls and Ladders: The Latest UN Report on DPRK Sanctions

Commentary published in War on the Rocks.

The Likely Reason North Korea Has Stopped Its Ballistic Missile Tests — For Now

This is likely part of an annual slowdown in testing we’ve observed now in North Korea for several years.

OP#33: WMD Proliferation Risks at the Nexus of 3D Printing and DIY Communities

Occasional Paper #33 examines the degree to which additive manufacturing – including its distribution and use – may be introducing new proliferation risks.

North Korea’s Ballistic Missile Program: How We Got Here

For a country with such limited resources, how has North Korea’s ballistic missile program progressed so far?

Melissa Hanham on PBS NewsHour

Technical and Political Insights into North Korea

Warring words, nuclear tests, and increased missile capabilities: CNS experts on the developments and implications.