Cyber attacks reportedly launched from computers in 16 countries: spy agency

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SEOUL, July 10 (Yonhap) -- The recent cyber attacks on South Korean and U.S.
government and private Web sites are believed to have been launched from
computers in 16 different countries, Seoul's spy agency was quoted as saying
Friday.
North Korea was not among them, according to the agency.

Since late Tuesday, Web sites operated by the government and media organizations
along with major Internet portals in the two countries have reported access
delays and failures, apparently due to the so-called "distributed
denial-of-service" (DDoS) attacks.
Such attacks work by using a multitude of infected computers to request
information from a single target, overloading it and causing legitimate users to
be denied access.
The attacks were reportedly traced to 86 Internet Protocol addresses in South
Korea, the United States, Japan and China, among other countries, officials at
the National Intelligence Service said, according to South Korean lawmakers who
attended a closed-door briefing.
North Korea was not among the 16 countries, the NIS said, adding it still
suspects the North or its sympathizers sponsored the cyber attacks.
The agency based its suspicion on statement issued by Pyongyang last month
warning of cyber warfare and the fact that many of the targets were conservative
Web sites.
The North's Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea, protesting Seoul's
plan to participate in the U.S.-led exercise "Cyber Storm," had said on June 27
that Pyongyang was "fully ready for any form of high-tech war."
Cyber Storm simulates a federal response to a major cyber attack.
odissy@yna.co.kr
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