World News - television

Updated

Mar

2013

11:01am, EDT

South Korea on alert after hackers strike banks, broadcasters

Several major South Korean banks and broadcast stations are stuck today after a cyberattack paralyzed their computer systems. Authorities have yet to resolve the hack.

By Ju-min Park and Joyce Lee, Reuters

SEOUL -- South Korean police were investigating a hacking attack on an Internet provider that brought down the servers of three broadcasters and two major banks on Wednesday, and the army raised its alert level due to concerns of North Korean involvement.

The network provided by LG UPlus Corp. showed a page that said it had been hacked by a group calling itself the "Whois Team," an unknown group. It featured three skulls and a warning that this was the beginning of "Our Movement."

Servers at television networks YTN, MBC and KBS were affected as well as Shinhan Bank and NongHyup Bank, both major financial institutions, police and government officials said.

"We sent down teams to all affected sites. We are now assessing the situation. This incident is pretty massive, and it will take a few days to collect evidence," a police official said.

Police and government officials declined to speculate on whether North Korea, which has threatened to attack both South Korea and the United States after it was hit with United Nations sanctions for its February nuclear test, was behind the cyberattack.

North Korea has in the past staged cyberattacks on the world's most wired country, targeting conservative newspapers, banks and government institutions.

South Korea's military said it was not affected but raised its state of readiness in response.

None of South Korea's oil refineries, power stations, ports or airports was affected.

The biggest attack by Pyongyang was a 10-day denial of service attack in 2011 that antivirus firm McAfee, part of Intel Corp, dubbed "Ten Days of Rain" and which it said was a bid to probe the South's computer defenses in the event of a real conflict.

Shinhan Bank, one of the financial institutions affected, said its servers were back up by 4 p.m. local time (3 a.m. ET).

Full technology and science coverage from NBC News

This story was originally published on Wed Mar 20, 2013 2:49 AM EDT

Feb

2012

6:04pm, EST

Uganda police seek to question woman about death of 'Amazing Race' TV producer Jeff Rice

By NBC News and msnbc.com staff

Uganda police are keen to interrogate a South African woman who was found unconscious in a hotel room along with the body of American television producer Jeff Rice, NBC News reported.

Kathryn Fuller, a production assistant, was found last week in the same room with Rice, a freelance producer for the American reality TV show “Amazing Race.” She was taken to The Surgery, a hospital in Kampala.

"We sent a team of detectives there today (Friday) but found that she was still too weak and so could not interrogate her. The team may return tomorrow," Deputy Kampala police spokesperson Ibin Ssenkumbi said.

Police on Wednesday said forensic tests indicated that Rice died of a cocaine overdose and that Fuller had also taken the drug.

Police were still grappling with a request by Fuller's relatives to have her transferred to South Africa for more advance medical treatment, according to NBC News. The relatives pledged to bring her back to Uganda once she improves.

"We have not yet recorded a statement from her and are waiting for her to improve. Additionally, her travel documents are still missing and that complicates matters," Ssenkumbi said.

Kathryn's father, Stewart Fuller, flew to Uganda and has asked police to allow him transfer her to South Africa. But police said they were finding the request a difficult one, given the circumstances.

Senior Uganda police officers, including the national police chief, Lt. Gen Kale Kayihura, on Thursday checked on Fuller at the medical facility.

A decision on her transfer would depend on doctors' assessment of her condition, police said.

'Amazing Race' producer Jeff Rice found dead in Uganda

Fuller and Rice, police said, checked into the Kampala Serena Hotel last Friday, having moved from the Lake Victoria Serena Resort. On Saturday morning, Rice was found dead on a sofa on the balcony of their hotel room while Fuller was unconscious on the floor.

The two had flown into the country on Feb. 15 to work on a documentary, according to ABC News.

Ugandan police say it appears the two voluntarily ingested the drug.

"There was no struggle. These were two people in their room, and there was not a single sign of a struggle. Not even a single bruise on Rice's body," police spokesman Asuman Mugenyi told ABC.

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