We Tested a Smartphone Smuggled From North Korea

Live updates

1. 16d ago

   Smuggled North Korean Smartphones Use Forbidden Word Filters and User Tracking

   Analysis of a smuggled North Korean smartphone reveals built-in censorship and surveillance mechanisms. The device blocks access to the global web and flags terms like South Korea or Republic of Korea as forbidden words. Surveillance features include the ability to track users and a hidden album that captures screenshots of the user's screen. The device was acquired for $250. These findings demonstrate the state's technical efforts to prevent access to outside information and monitor internal device activity.

   Why it matters

   North Korea strictly controls information flow to maintain political stability. These hardware-level restrictions prevent citizens from accessing foreign news or communicating with the outside world. The discovery of hidden screen-capture tools suggests a high level of domestic espionage.

   What is confirmed

   • North Korean smartphones censor the term South Korea.
   • The devices block access to the web.
   • The term Republic of Korea is flagged as a forbidden word.
   • The smartphones track their users.

   Still unconfirmed

   • The smuggled smartphone costs $250.
   • The device maintains a secret album of the user's screen.

   What to watch next

   • Analysis of the device operating system for remote data transmission capabilities
   • Identification of the specific hardware manufacturer for the device
   Sources used for this update (5)

   1. WSJ — We Tested a Smartphone Smuggled From North Korea
   2. 조선일보 — North Korean Smartphones Censor 'South Korea' and Track Users
   3. Seoul Economic Daily — North Korean Smartphone Blocks Web, Censors Words Like "Republic of Korea"
   4. finance.biggo.com — Teardown of North Korean Smartphone Reveals 'South Korea' Instantly Flagged as 'Forbidden Word'
   5. TechEBlog - — Smuggled $250 North Korean Smartphone Keeps a Secret Album of Your Screen
   confidence 80%