Internet Attackers Strike Against South Korea Again
By VOA News
09 July 2009
South Korean Web sites were attacked again Thursday in a days-long assault that Seoul reportedly suspects North Korea is behind.
Some government Web sites have been affected in this third wave of Internet assaults, including the South Korean Defense Ministry and National Intelligence Service. The Internet site of at least one Korean bank was also affected.
Lawmakers say the intelligence service told them Wednesday it suspects Pyongyang or its sympathizers could be involved in the attacks.
In South Korea, earlier cyber attacks affected Web sites for the presidential office, ruling party, defense ministry and others.
In the United States, officials said Wednesday a days-long cyber attack had affected U.S. government Web sites including those of the White House, departments of Homeland Security, Defense, Treasury, and the Voice of America.
Computer experts describe this kind of attack as a "distributed denial of service." A computer virus spreads from one personal computer to another, directing data traffic from those computers to the targeted Web sites.
If North Korea did carry out the cyber attacks, it would represent a further escalation of tensions on the Korean peninsula between Pyongyang and Seoul. North Korea has engaged in a series of long and short-range missile tests in recent months, as well as a nuclear test back in May.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.
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