Cyber attacks: S Korea on alert
Updated on 09 July 2009
South Korea is on high alert for more cyber attacks amid suspicions that North Korea was behind a recent wave of website outages in the South and in the US.
The South warned that computer networks of key infrastructure could be targeted.
The National Intelligence Service said in a statement that it was strengthening cyber security measures for government computer networks, citing a possible new wave of attacks which could target national infrastructure operators like energy, telecommunications and media companies.
Earlier, the country's leading computer security company also warned that another wave of attacks was expected in South Korea later on Thursday.
Seoul-based antivirus software developer AhnLab said it has analysed a virus program that sent a flood of internet traffic to paralyse websites in both South Korea and the US.
It said seven South Korean sites were likely to be targeted on Thursday, including those of the Ministry of Public Administration and Security, Kookmin Bank and the mass-circulation Chosun Ilbo newspaper.
South Korean intelligence officials believe North Korea or pro-Pyongyang forces were behind the cyber attacks in the US over the July 4 US Independence Day holiday weekend and in South Korea since Tuesday.
Some South Korean sites remained inaccessible or unstable on Thursday, including the National Cyber Security Centre, affiliated with the main spy agency.
The National Intelligence Service informed members of parliament's intelligence committee of its assessment, according to aides to two of the lawmakers.
The spy agency declined to confirm the information provided by the aides but said in a statement that the sophistication of the attacks suggested they were carried out at a higher level than rogue or individual hackers.
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