Caceres, a 38-year-old Colombian-American cybersecurity entrepreneur, was unmasked as the hacker behind this attack by Wired magazine. He explained that his actions were in retaliation after he was targeted by North Korean spies attempting to steal his hacking tools. In response, he decided to hit back by attacking North Korea’s internet infrastructure, a move that kept the country’s limited public websites offline for over a week. He told Wired, “It felt like the right thing to do here. If they don’t see we have teeth, it’s just going to keep coming.”
In his Reddit thread, Caceres discussed the simplicity of his attack, saying, “Honestly, I’ve been asked this a lot. And I can’t really tell haha. I used to say nah it wasn’t that hard.”
He later clarified, “People told me it wasn’t hard only because I’m trained in this.” Caceres took advantage of North Korea’s outdated and minimal internet infrastructure, which he described as “little sticks and glue.” He noted that North Korea has only two routers for internet ingress and egress, making it easier for a skilled hacker to disrupt the system.
When asked about the possible consequences of his actions, Caceres admitted he had faced little to no backlash. “Everyone seems to sort of like it but cannot say that officially. Honestly, I expected a LOT more negativity just because that’s the natural order of things,” he remarked.
The only attention he has received so far has been from intelligence agencies interested in learning how he managed the hack. He recounted how these meetings sometimes took place in basements, joking, “It was super X-Files type s**t but also like any normal meeting. Weird dissonance…”
Reddit users also asked about the possible risks and repercussions of his actions. Caceres expressed surprise at not having faced any direct threats or legal actions. “I have not yet been murdered or arrested, so that’s pretty good,” he joked.
As of now, Caceres has not faced any significant consequences beyond curiosity from intelligence agencies wanting to understand his methods.
Caceres’s hack on North Korea serves as a reminder of how vulnerable even the most secretive and controlled nations can be to cyberattacks, especially when dealing with experienced hackers. While his actions have garnered admiration and a certain level of respect in online communities, they also raise questions about the potential consequences for international relations and cybersecurity norms.
As the world increasingly relies on digital infrastructure, incidents like this highlight both the possibilities and the dangers of hacking in a hyperconnected world. Caceres, for his part, remains unrepentant and open about his motivations, positioning his actions as a form of digital self-defense and a warning against further provocations from hostile entities.
