Governments braced for further cyber attacks

 

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By Reuters

Posted on 9 Jul 2009 at 10:44

The governments of South Korea and the US are bracing themselves for a fresh round of cyber attacks, after many of their websites were brought to a standstill earlier this week.

The attacks bombarded target websites with access requests generated by malicious software planted on personal computers. The attacks were aimed at dozens of high-profile sites including that of the White House and South Korea's presidential office, with North Korea considered the chief suspect.

Experts are claiming the attacks are following a schedule, and will be again Thursday with banks, major portals and government offices targeted.

If the North was responsible, it would mark an escalation in tensions between the neighbours. Relations have already been strained by Pyongyang's nuclear test in May and ballistic missile display in July.

An expert on North Korea at the Heritage Foundation, Bruce Klingner, claims the North has a military unit with up to 1,000 skilled computer hackers which it created 10 years ago.

"Pyongyang has an extensive and capable cyber terrorism effort to provide asymmetric attack capabilities," he said.

Internet access is denied to almost everyone in hermit North Korea, but intelligence sources say Pyongyang had placed a high priority on developing cyber-attack skills.

Last month, the North warned of "high-tech war" against the South for spreading what it said was false information about its involvement in cyber attacks.