Posted 03.20.2013 at 4:00 pm
12 Comments
Pyongyang Computer Class
via wikimedia commons
Earlier today, computer systems at five major South Korean banks and TV networks crashed simultaneously. Experts immediately suspected that it was a cyber attack from North Korea, which has a famously tense relationship with its southern neighbor. The banks and TV networks feared that information might be lost or stolen, but so far the most significant problem has been sustained disruption. As of this writing, some computer systems were still down, seven hours after the attack.
North Korea has built an international reputation on military posturing. In February, the country launched an atomic weapon test, and last week Kim Jong-Un declared the 1953 Armistice between the two Koreas invalid. This cyber attack--if it was indeed North Korean--is best seen as further chest-thumping.
Targeting banks and television networks is about visibility, not aggression. Presumably, North Korea wants to demonstrate that it has cyber-attack capabilities. What better way to do that than to attack a soft but visible target? A serious hostile attack would've targeted power plants or military computers.
This morning's attack is disruptive and not great for the banks or TV networks, but in the grander scheme of things, it's pretty tame. Keep in mind when politicians and cable news try and spin the attack as "cyber war" that no one died. As we've said before, cyber is far less deadly than it's been made out to be.
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If this is a North Korea act, the skills and knowledge, likely came from certain departments in China or it actually came from China. In either case, nothing will be done.
THAT'S a Pyongyang Computer Class (shown in picture)!? How primitive. If N.Korea wants to launch further aggressive cyber attacks, they really need to educate some of their important IT people better or train more IT staff.
YEah Mak! If they want to get real they at least need flat screens, everyone knows you can't do D* without them!
ohh and they need better hacking software then paint for sure!
If you look at the picture, it's clearly a school class for very small children. I don't know about you all, but I know my local elementary school is working on machines that old.
Amun-Ra, at this point I don't think China is going to side with North Korea on much. If North Korea attacks any of its enemies it would mean an economic collapse for China. I'm pretty sure they're smarter than that.
As for that picture the author clearly hasn't looked hard enough for a relevant picture. South Korea is a world leader in digital classrooms and teaching with technological aids. Not to mention the role Star Craft plays in S. Korea...
My bad... I mis-read the caption. Either way I hope that S. Korea could better combat this.
Avast anti-virus published this article yesterday,
www.blog.avast.com/2013/03/19/analysis-of-chinese-attack-against-korean-banks/
Looks like it is the Chinese, not the North.
Amun-Ra and erm000,
Here is link as of today, in support of your comments.
...............................
South Korea traces cyberattack to IP address in China
news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-57575494-83/south-korea-traces-cyberattack-to-ip-address-in-china/
I second Amun-Ra's comment, this was from China just routed through NC to hide origin.
An contrasting update to the article.
South Korea says hacking not from Chinese address
www.cnn.com/2013/03/22/world/asia/south-korea-computer-outage/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
I wonder if any citizens in S.Korea hospitals hooked up to 'life support' and associated computers were harmed by this hacking?