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Handout / Reuters
Employees of the Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) check computers as they try to recover a server of the company's network at main office of KBS in Seoul, on March 21.
SEOUL - A hacking attack on the servers of South Korean broadcasters and banks originated from an IP address based in China, officials in Seoul said on Thursday, raising suspicions the intrusion came from North Korea.
An unnamed official from South Korea's presidential office was quoted by the Yonhap news agency as saying the discovery of the IP address indicated Pyongyang was responsible for the attack on Wednesday.
A previous attack on a South Korean newspaper that the government in Seoul traced back to North Korea also used a Chinese IP address.
"We've identified that a Chinese IP is connected to the organizations affected," a spokesman for South Korea's Communications Commission told a press conference.
The attack brought down the network servers of television broadcasters YTN, MBC and KBS as well as two major commercial banks, Shinhan Bank and NongHyup Bank. South Korea raised its alert levels in response.
Investigations of past hacking incidents on South Korean organizations have been traced to Pyongyang's large army of computer engineers trained to infiltrate the South's computer networks.
"There can be many inferences based on the fact that the IP address is based in China," the communications commission's head of network policy, Park Jae-moon said. "We've left open all possibilities and are trying to identify the hackers."
It took the banks hours to restore operations. Damage to the servers of the TV networks was believed to be more severe, although broadcasts were not affected.
About 32,000 computers at the six organizations were affected, according to the South's state-run Korea Internet Security Agency, adding it would take up to five days to fully restore their functions.
Earlier story: South Korea on alert after hackers strike banks, broadcasters
North Korea has in the past targeted South Korea's conservative newspapers, banks and government institutions.
The biggest hacking effort attributed to Pyongyang was a 10-day denial of service attack in 2011 that antivirus firm McAfee, part of Intel Corp, dubbed "Ten Days of Rain". It said that attack was a bid to probe the South's computer defenses in the event of a real conflict.
North Korea last week said it had been a victim of cyber attacks, blaming the United States and threatened retaliation.
Copyright 2013 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.
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While the US Media loves to report these attacks. Which they were on the receiving end of, earlier...
They are very quite about the China advances on other countries surrounding it's borders...
The US Forces stationed there, have always been the trip wire that will start a Pacific Conflict...
The question is does the World wait while China continues to build-up/deploy new systems and harden their existing sites???
What bothers me more about this than anything, is how far will NK go with its saber-rattling. North Korean leadership has clearly shown a defiance beyond stupidity. They are in control of their own pathetic future. If they bow to sanctions, they see that as a loss of pride and stature. If anyone there had a brain, they'd see this as an opportunity to improve their relationships with the entire world. Its so hard for me to understand why the people of this country don't seem to have any power or control of their own destiny. I wonder what % of this country exists well below the poverty level. Your people are poor and starving and leadership focuses on hacking? Absolute losers for leaders.........
John-351853,
When your population is UNARMED, the Military Government can do anything they want...
In a Communist Country the people do not own their land and are COMPLETELY dependent on the Government to supply them with FOOD, Drinking WATER, supplies, information about the outside World, etc. As far as most NK people know, the World is just like where they are...
Watch &/or listen to their TV stations/Media outlets, it is not like the Western media...
This looks like a build up for a future attack.Check enemy's strengths,weaknesses in essential areas.Like telecommunications,financial markets, defense systems. Then analysis responses. Figure how best to take down each, And not just implementation, but how allies respond. Time the recovery of each phase/area. After numerous tests one achieves a pretty good idea of the pattern and window of opportunities to plan strategies. Meanwhile China can move its assets into place, and assists in playing both sides of the table.
The United States can threaten and the U.N. put all the sanctions it wants, it can't stop the money which we know still gets smuggled into North Korea in literally in suitcases and with China's help through its many banks. Split up in thousands of accounts, carrying small amounts exchanged through other banks in foreign countries constantly changed weekly to launder funds.
It seems for certain that sooner rather than later this will heat up enough for a big light and sound show. We are seeing a dress rehearsal, even as North Korea's President insults South Korea's President, and dares the whole world to bring it on. So the U.S. now is re-enforcing the neutral zone.Buttered popcorn anyone? We have a lovely view you know
Op, op op op op, oppan Pyongyang style.
The 1st thing in any modern conflict is to disrupt communications. North Korea is doing so!
The South Koreans and US hopefully in concert with China should now order a very severe warning to North Korea that what has occured is an act of war and consequences are in order and will escalate (either in a cyber effect or a closing of ports etc.)
The North Koreans only understand threats with some backbone in them that may effect the power structure of the Hermit State.
I can't wait until we elect a POTUS that will deal with China the way it needs to be dealt with.
Mojo,
I'm curious, are you speaking of Obama? Or, are you including all the presidents elected since 1954?
Since 1948, the US and most US allies have paid all of our attention to Russia (Former Soviet Union) excluding China, with the exception of 1950 to 1954 when China backed North Korea and we backed the South. Why we haven't paid China much attention, I don't have a clue. I've always been concerned with China for a variety of reasons, top of which concerns the fact that until they took control of Hong Kong, we had no idea what was going on there. Hong Kong being a commerce based free information entity, has allowed a more extensive flow of information outside China. The extent of the paranoia we are seeing in China and North Korea is indicative of the same we saw in the former Soviet Union, though they have a much stronger economy. A strong economy allows for a stronger military. Hence worry.
Wondered how long before someone would blame our President for this. You know its his fault people are gay, its his fault Republicans can't win elections (Oh yeah that part about elections is correct).
Grandpa,
I hope you didn't interpret my comment as bashing Obama, that is how I read Mojoman's comment. I was making sure it was understood that NO US president has given China the concern they deserve since 1954.
Military Man
Sorry about that. I thought I was responding to mojo, guess I have to be clearer.
Mojoman: and just HOW is that again (the so-called "dealt with" part)? To what point and purpose when China has purchased most of the US debt that is owed?
It would be like a financial institution that holds the mortgage on your house, car, TV, computer, refrigerator and bankroles the company that you work for; and you find a policy of theirs (or they change their rules, actually) that YOU don't like.... and (again) HOW would you "Deal" with it? And NO: you cannot just get another bank to buy all of your outstanding debt from the institution that you are now at odds with because NONE have the funds to so.
If you think that China can be merely "dealt with" without them intiating a demand for PAYMENT IN FULL on the outstanding debt that they are holding (which cannot be met), then obviously you don't understand the situation. And for the right-wing nut jobs that will eventually post Stupidly on this: NO, it isn't Obama's fault- this started DECADES ago. Both sides can take the blame for presidents who let it slide and that did nothing about it.
It is not even the debt that is the biggest problem...it is corporate America that will scream. This is why no president has done anything with China. Think of how many businesses are manufacturing over there! No access to all that well-educated but cheap labor would be a really sore point with American businesses.
I'm no fan of Big Business, Marie, but aside from their greed, you can also thank the overwhelming majority of American consumers for demanding and voting with their pocketbooks for the lowest priced widget they can get their hands on.
Research 'Chinagate', then get back with us about who is supporting China and why...
Clinton & the Democratic Party was FORCED to return Millions of USD in donations...
Why is Obama pushing Electric Vehicles that require Rare Earths from China (97% world supplier) and the USA is now exporting 800% more coal to China...
Cutoff ALL Chinese imports and you will get their attention real quick. Don't be afraid, it is the best thing that could happen to the U.S. long term and short term. Problem solved. NEXT!!!!
TruthComesHere, we can not and will not stop all imports even, now, when there is a huge imbalance between exports and imports coming from China and going into China. Unfortunately, China has billions invested in the US; and, if, they pull out their money and depot it in the EU or back in their own country, we will not be able to handle it. That would send us straight to a depression. If we could convince other countries, especially the EU, to join us in the boycott, then maybe China would be a little more fair in export/import. China is smart staying neutral and keeping out of other countries wars, no matter how unethical, which keeps them economically sound and physically safe from terrorists. Just wait until China becomes the number one economic world power, then they will police the world and stick their nose in countries around the world just like we did. They are only biding their time now by being subtle and using subterfuge to create havoc.
Ummmm...we are the largest buyer of their products, they won't have any money without us importing from them. The intent and result of stopping their imports would be to keep them from becoming an economic power. The plus side would be we would then get some jobs and economic recovery back in this country. Sure, things would be a little tough short term but long term it would be the best thing that happened. As far as China staying out of other countries wars is perhaps not true. I think there are few disputes they are involved in like the islands that them and Japan lay claim to, and also Hong Kong comes to mind which they are not happy about as well. They are also increasing their military spending so there could be other motives going on that could play out in the future. I am not worried about any money the Chinese have put here or how much we owe them our problem revolves around the fact that we have no jobs here and once that is addressed we get our economy rolling again. I am willing to take the risk. As far as a depression, we are probably not far from it with our current economic condition anyway. Of course, stopping their imports will never happen, at least not until there is a conflict involving us and them.
you might want to check how much china import/export from US. US is not the largest export of china goods, EU is. taiwan also lay claim to island occupy by jap. as far as hong kong, there will always be disgruntled in any country. as for their military, china lagging far behind US, 1/6 of budget compare to ours. china is the 2nd or 3rd largest import of US goods, the ammount our import from US to china increase by 400% in the past few years
I think they steal our intellectual property so that could be why they also some imports from us. I still say, we can survive just fine without their inferior products and do our country a big favor in return.
One points out that bouncing an attack of an IP address in a third country does not mean that the third country is complicit.. only that somebody's managed to exploit it. It could be that the Chinese are working WITH the North Koreans (or whomever), but it could just as easily mean that the North Koreans are exploiting a Chinese security hole, of which they have many times many. Since North Korea is the one that just declared war on South Korea and China has absolutely no reason to attack the South, with which it wants to engage diplomatically, the latter hypothesis would seem more likely. China does have plenty of motivation to stage cyber-attacks on the US, and does so with impunity (and probably vice versa), but not South Korea.
I think that business'es here in the U.S. and europe should start to withdraw from China as soon as possible. Communist China is our enemy NOT our friend. It is time to stop supporting this enemy of ours. China is the country that someday is going to challenge us with their military. It's time our GREEDY business'es wake the hell up and realize that they are cutting their own throats by supporting China. Didn't I read somewhere that someone sold out their soul for seven pieces of silver? Looks like our business'es are selling us out for the almighty Buck.
Tarzan,
I believe we have already crossed that bridge. China owns our debt. If they wanted to cause the US serious problems, all they would have to do is call it in. There is no way we could cover it if they did.
we might not like each other, but both country need each others. it will become self fufilling prophecy if both country treat each other as enemy. china currently is 2 or 3rd largest import nation from US. and we certainly can't ignore 1/6 world population.
Asians don't have four year wars, they have thousand year wars.
Don't get rid of the land lines and become too dependent on Computers...
North Korea is an interesting situation. Most countries will develop ways of acessing information and ways to shut down systems in preperation for an even that they hope never happens. North Korea actually took the step of simulating an attack as it relates to computers and communications. What is the relevence? South Korea and its allies now know how a cyber attack would be carried out. This gives them an ability to be better prepared next time. Much is now known. It took the North years to determe weaknessses in security. Given the level of attack I don't think they left much in reserve. As for the IP. It is easy to spoof an IP, yet I am suprised they used one so close to their country.
Why would we attack North Korea and its 2 desktop computers?
A hacker friend of mine told me he had infiltrated the North Korean Military network. All he found
was the phone number of a Chinese take out place and some porn.
Block all IP addresses that originate in China...
We really need to put an end to this creepy little dweeb and all his creepy little generals. Drop the big one in the middle of their silly little kingdom and move on to a real crisis.