KCC Calls for Precaution against Probable Online Attack

KCC (Korea Communications Commission), the telecom regulator of South Korea, has advised Internet users of the country to adopt safety measures against probable cyber attacks much like those which brought down leading websites during July 2009.

On July 7, a Distributed Denial-of-Service attack in which numerous PCs located in different regions are used for inundating targeted servers with overwhelming requests that lead to the shutdown of websites hosted on those servers. This attack struck prominent Internet sites in South Korea for full 3 days. The targeted sites consisted of those belonging to the presidential office and other important government organizations of South Korea.

Hence, KCC officials urged all Koreans surfing Web to be extra cautious against virus programs, which could let cyber crooks use several computers in unleashing the alleged DDoS assaults.

Normally, in a DDoS assault, websites are flooded with huge volumes of data that make the targeted servers inaccessible by creating hindrances in their interaction with computers trying to connect. Generally, numerous PCs are infected with malware that enable hackers to redirect even greater traffic to the targeted websites.

The telecom regulator said that it was yet to adjust its level of alert against cyber attacks, and added that the South Korean government was attentively supervising the chances of additional assaults.

According to Hwang Cheol-jeung, Network Policy Bureau's Director at KCC, although there wasn't any indication that a DDoS attack would occur in the country, still the Commission along with KISA (Korea Information Security Agency) remained vigilant, as reported by Telecom Korea on August 7, 2009.

Moreover, the latest DDoS assaults against various social-networking websites like Facebook, LiveJournal and Twitter have raised concern regarding the country's security, said a KCC official who thus advised end-users to install security software on their systems.

With growing risks, data indicate that South Korea has slashed its personnel for cyber security nearly 80% over the last few years. Further, as per security experts, the new DDoS attack against major Korean websites rings alarm over the cyber security of a highly wired nation of the globe viz. South Korea.

Related article: KSA Proves as Worst Malware Inclined Country in EMEA

» SPAMfighter News - 8/31/2009