By Theo Burman
Live News Reporter
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North Koreans are increasingly using VPN services to evade government censorship and surveillance, a recent report found.
Despite the severe penalties associated with unauthorized internet use, a growing number of North Koreans are using virtual private networks (VPNs) to access global content and communicate more freely.
The Insikt Group's analysis, published by Recorded Future, a security company, also revealed that citizens have begun frequently using devices from international tech companies Apple, Samsung, and Huawei to engage in activities such as browsing social media and streaming content that would be otherwise restricted by the government.
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"Over the years, we saw an increase in the use of obfuscation services, such as VPNs, likely in response to increasing user operation security awareness. We also observed multiple countries that likely host North Korean individuals based on internet traffic patterns," the report said.
"North Koreans, like consumers in the US, prefer Apple products; Apple devices remain the single most popular brand in North Korea, with Samsung, Xiaomi, and Huawei comprising the next three most popular brands. However, when all Android device brands are considered, there are more Android users in the country."
The report also detailed which software North Koreas are using on computers.
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"Windows is the most popular desktop OS, and many North Koreans regularly update their Windows software," it said. "Approximately 57% of Windows devices were running Windows 10 or 11."
Newsweek contacted the North Korean embassy in the United Kingdom for comment.
North Korea has long been known for its stringent internet policies, allowing only a select few high-ranking officials and government-sanctioned personnel access to the global internet.
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Most citizens are restricted to the country's intranet service, Kwangmyong, which offers limited and heavily monitored content. The use of VPNs remains illegal in North Korea, but the research indicates that many citizens think it's worth the risk. VPNs can mask a user's internet activity, making it difficult for government surveillance to detect.
However, the penalties for being caught can be severe, with new laws passed in 2020 meaning accessing foreign information could be punishable by death in some situations.
Despite the restrictions on citizens, North Korea remains a prominent cybersecurity presence in the international community; cyberattacks are a prominent part of the conflict with South Korea. Earlier this year in March, a North Korean cyberattack hit two large South Korean companies, resulting in the theft of technical drawings as well as photographs of designs.
Do you have a story we should be covering? Do you have any questions about censorship in North Korea? Contact LiveNews@newsweek.com.
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