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Jun 20, 2024 • 4 min read

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Russia & North Korea’s Alliance
Tile Cyberattack

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Russia North Korea Alliance:

On Wednesday, Russia and North Korea signed a new comprehensive strategic partnership, raising concerns among Western officials about the implications of President Vladimir Putin's first state visit to the nuclear-armed country in 24 years. The partnership, which includes a mutual defense pact, was announced by Russian state media shortly after Putin's arrival in Pyongyang. Putin received a red carpet welcome from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, with thousands attending a lavish ceremony. During the reception, Kim expressed full support and solidarity with Moscow, particularly for its special military operation in Ukraine, according to the state-owned news agency Tass.
In return, Putin gifted Kim a new Aurus limousine, an admiral's dagger, and a tea set, symbolizing the strengthening ties between the two countries. Historically, Russia (formerly the Soviet Union) and North Korea have maintained a complex relationship. During the Cold War, the Soviet Union was a crucial ally of North Korea, providing economic and military support. This alliance waned after the Soviet Union's collapse in 1991, leading to a period of strained relations. However, in recent years, Russia and North Korea have sought to revive their ties amidst increasing isolation from the West.
Russian officials had previously indicated plans for this strategic partnership ahead of Putin's two-day trip. The new agreement replaces earlier treaties and covers cooperation in politics, economics, culture, humanities, and security. According to Tass, Putin stated, "The comprehensive partnership agreement signed today provides, among other things, for mutual assistance in the event of aggression against one of the parties to this agreement."
This renewed partnership signals a significant shift in geopolitical dynamics, as both countries face extensive sanctions and diplomatic pressure from Western nations. By aligning more closely, Russia and North Korea aim to bolster their political and economic resilience, as well as their military capabilities. This development is seen as a direct challenge to Western efforts to isolate and pressure both nations.

Tile Cyberattack:

A hacker accessed the systems behind Tile device trackers, stealing customer data including names, addresses, emails, and phone numbers. The incident, reported by 404 Media, occurred through a tool designed for responding to law enforcement requests about Tile trackers. However, the stolen information did not include precise Tile location data. The hacker reportedly used login credentials allegedly belonging to a former Tile employee. Screenshots provided to 404 Media by the hacker showed they had access to various internal tools, such as those for transferring ownership of Tile trackers, adding admin accounts, and sending messages to Tile users.
Life360, which owns Tile, acknowledged the breach in a statement from CEO Chris Hulls, who confirmed that the data breach included Tile tracker IDs. Hulls also revealed that the hacker attempted to extort Life360, leading the company to report the incident to law enforcement. Life360 representative Kristi Collura stated that the company is actively cooperating with law enforcement and has no further updates at this time. Collura explained that the screenshot from 404 Media shows a step for Life360 personnel to initiate a request to respond to law enforcement inquiries about Tile user data.

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