Lazarus is a core component of North Korean defense strategy, and their sophistication is a key reason North Korea punches above its weight geopolitically. Despite their relative quiet, Lazarus are quite sophisticated and present a serious cyberthreat when agitated. This follows the traditional North Korean defense posture of threatening deliberate and immediate retaliatory escalation for any slight or grievance.

The relationship between Chinese private cybersecurity companies and the Chinese government is a multifaceted dynamic that significantly shapes the nation’s cybersecurity ecosystem. In the context of the Indo-Pacific, where geopolitical tensions and security concerns are palpable, understanding the interplay between Chinese private cybersecurity firms and the government becomes imperative for the U.S.