S Korea blames North for nuclear reactor cyberattacks

SEOUL: South Korea blamed North Korea yesterday for cyberattacks against the country’s nuclear reactor operator last December, based on investigations into internet addresses used in the hacking, but Pyongyang denied any involvement.

The conclusion reached by South Korean prosecutors comes less than a week after a hacker believed to be behind the cyberattacks on Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co Ltd released more files thought to have been taken in December.

The investigation included last week’s leak of a blueprint and test data.

“The malicious codes used for the nuclear operator hacking were the same in composition and working methods as the so-called ‘ kimsuky’ that North Korean hackers use,” said the Seoul central prosecutors’ office.

Prosecutors said the cyberattacks were made by sending 5 986 phishing e-mails containing malicious codes to 3 571 employees of the nuclear plant operator.

An article carried by North Korea’s semi-official Uriminzokkiri website said South Korea’s claim was “nonsense” and a “provocation”, repeating past denials of its part in the attack.

South Korea had previously said it suspected the possible involvement of North Korea in the hacking, and had sought help from Chinese officials after tracing multiple internet addresses connected to a north-eastern Chinese city near North Korea.

More files were posted on Twitter last Thursday with a demand for money, and an e-mail address where the hacker said he could be contacted, claiming there had been offers from other countries to buy data related to nuclear power plants.

The December hacking attacks against the unit of state-run utility Korea Electric Power Corp came after the US accused North Korea of a serious cyberattack on Sony Pictures, and vowed to respond proportionately.

Meanwhile, the South Korean government, in a separate statement yesterday, vowed to enhance the country’s cyber security by setting up a special team in charge of cyber defence. – Reuters