Richard Ledgett, a deputy director of the US National Security Agency, poses in a handout photo provided by NSA taken in 2011 ReutersA top official of the US National Security Agency suggested on Tuesday that North Korean computer hackers were behind the $81m heist targeting Bangladesh Bank's account at the New York Federal Reserve last year.Also Read- CID: 23 foreigners behind BB heist
According to a Foreign Policy magazine report, National Security Agency's Deputy Director Rick Ledgett appeared to say North Korea was the culprit during an exchange at a discussion forum in Washington, DC, suggesting that private sector researchers had linked the Bangladesh Bank heist to the hack on Sony Pictures in 2014, which the US administration attributed to Pyongyang. Hackers attempted to steal $951m from the New York Fed, but only got away with $81m, some of which was later recovered. Computer security experts described the heist as technically sophisticated.
Also Read- BB heist probe still dangling
Speaking at an Aspen Institute roundtable, Ledgett said: "If that linkage from the Sony actors to the Bangladeshi bank actors is accurate — that means that a nation state is robbing banks. "That’s a big deal."
A helicopter view of the National Security Agency on January 28, 2016 in Fort Meade, Maryland AFPThe moderator of the event, John Carlin, a former Assistant Attorney General of the US Department of Justice, followed up with: “Do you believe that there are nation states now robbing banks?”
Ledgett answered: “I do.”
The NSA deputy director's remarks, however, avoided any reference to what evidence America's premier spy agency has collected on the much-talked-about heist.
When the FP approached the agency, it declined to comment beyond Ledgett’s public remarks.
This undated picture released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on March 19, 2017 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, centre, inspecting the ground jet test of a newly developed high-thrust engine at the Sohae Satellite Launching Ground in North Korea AFPBangladesh police's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is investigating the digital heist. Officials linked to the probe recently told the Dhaka Tribune that they have started to get a clear idea about the heist process.
On February 4, 2016, hackers attempted to steal $101m from Bangladesh Bank’s account with Federal Reserve Bank in New York which was noticed on February 6. On March 15, 2016 investigation began after a case was filed on the same day the then governor of Bangladesh Bank Atiur Rahman resigned.
Of the $101m, transfer of $20m was immediately stopped by a Sri Lankan bank but the hackers, managed to transfer $81m to Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) in the Philippines. Bangladesh also retrieved $68,000 that was left behind by the hackers at RCBC.Also Read- How the New York Fed fumbled over the Bangladesh Bank cyber heist
The CID investigators have so far found the involvement of at least seven officials of the central bank. Another investigating source says that at least 23 foreigners of six countries took part in the heist. The transaction was made in two major portions – one went to the Philippines and another to Sri Lanka. The Philippines conspirators had received their portion but the other transaction was unsuccessful as the bank concerned acted responsibly. [arve url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBP4meBn4OE"/] The RCBC bank disbursed the money despite learning about the Bangladesh Bank’s request not to release it. The money was withdrawn through a small branch of the RCBC and it was their biggest transaction till date. The investigators have found the involvement of 16 RBRC officials and seven from Sri Lanka. Moreover, names of many gamblers also came up during the investigation.
The CID has already received information about the people who withdrew the money but the department is taking time since the police of the Philippines, Sri Lanka and some other countries are yet to turn in their reports.