KCC steps up measures against DDoS attacks

The Korea Communications Commission may cut off computers infected with the malignant code responsible for the distributed denial of service attacks from the internet, officials said yesterday.

The KCC said yesterday that it requested internet service providers to implement measures to ensure that the malignant code is dealt with before infected computers access the internet.

The commission also said that it will continue to monitor the situation and that it may request the internet service providers to cut off the infected computers` internet access if such measures are deemed necessary.



The measures were announced after the KCC held a meeting with executives of 14 major internet service providers including KT Corp., SK Broadband and LG Dacom.

In addition to collaborating with ISPs in dealing with the situation, the KCC said that it is also considering upgrading the warning level.

The upgraded warning is issued when a situation is deemed to pose a threat to several internet service networks and the communication information infrastructure.

According to the KCC, another wave of attacks targeting local organizations` websites began Wednesday evening.

Unlike the first wave of attacks that occurred on Monday, whose targets included several foreign websites, the latest attacks are mainly directed at local security-related organizations` websites.

Websites targeted in the second attacks include that of the National Intelligence Service, ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command, Cheong Wa Dae and the security solution provider AhnLab Inc.

Wednesday`s attacks also used 29,000 personal computers different from the 22,000 infected computers used in the first wave of attacks.

Although the KCC said that the second wave of attacks did not cause serious damages to the targeted systems, another of wave of attacks were said to be scheduled to begin 6 p.m. yesterday.

According to AhnLab, the malignant code responsible for the attacks was programmed to coordinate 24-hour attacks on seven local websites including that of the Ministry of Public Administration and Security and Kookmin Bank.

(cheesuk@heraldm.com)





By Choi He-suk