by STEVE HAN | @steve_han
editor@charactermedia.com
A group of unidentified hackers have stolen data from computer systems at a South Korean nuclear plant operator, said the Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co Ltd (KHNP) on Monday.
The hacking raised concerns about the safety of nuclear facilities in South Korea, a country that sill remains technically at war with North Korea, and occurred after the United States formally accused North Korea of the massive cyberattack on Sony Pictures.
Although South Korea’s state-run KHNP assured that the hackers only stole “non-critical” data, there is a growing concern that its nuclear installations could be at risk.
“This demonstrated that, if anyone is intent with malice to infiltrate the system, it would be impossible to say with confidence that such an effort would be blocked completely,” said Suh Kune-yull of Seoul National University, who specializes in nuclear reactor design, according to Reuters.
“And a compromise of nuclear reactors’ safety pretty clearly means there is a gaping hole in national security,” Suh added.
The investigation on the hacking is currently ongoing, but the government has not yet identified who might be responsible.
Since the attack, a Twitter user who claimed responsibility for the hacking demanded a complete shutdown of the nuclear reactors by Thursday and threatened to post the stolen documents online if the reactors aren’t closed. The user also demanded money in exchange for the stolen data.
The KHNP said it could not verify the messages.
Meanwhile, South Korea’s energy ministry dismissed the notion that the hackers could pose a significant threat to the nuclear reactors.
“It’s our judgment that the control system itself is designed in such a way and there is no risk whatsoever,” Chung Yang-ho, deputy energy minister, told Reuters.
Photo courtesy of Udo Weitz/EPA
