North Korean malware still lurks in computers worldwide: US

The US Department of Homeland Security issued an alert on Tuesday warning malware developed in North Korea may still be hidden in computer networks worldwide.

US officials told AFP a hacker group called "Hidden Cobra" also known as "Lazarus" has the ability to "maintain a presence on victims' networks" with the aim to "further network exploitation."

Last month, Britain had blamed North Korea for being behind the WannaCry cyber attack in May which had disrupted the nation's health services and businesses. The WannaCry virus had infected more than 300,000 computers in 150 countries within a few days.

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DHS Computer Emergency Response Team said some networks could be infected with the Volgmer "backdoor Trojan" which gives hackers complete control of a computer system.

The team said FBI suspects Fallchill tool was being used since last year and Volgmer since 2013.

Hackers in the Hidden Cobra or Lazarus group have been active since 2009 and "have leveraged their capabilities to target and compromise a range of victims," according to a DHS report in June, AFP said.

"Some intrusions have resulted in the exfiltration of data while others have been disruptive in nature," the report added.