NIS Conducts Cyberattack Response Drill on IT Infrastructure Amid Concerns of North Korean Provocations

System Shutdown Scenario Due to Malware Attack
3rd Deputy Director: "Cannot Rule Out North Korea's Cyber Provocation"

The government will conduct cyber attack response drills targeting major public infrastructure closely related to the daily lives of citizens. This training takes into account the possibility of cyber provocations amid ongoing provocations by North Korea, such as the release of contaminated balloons and satellite navigation system (GPS) jamming attacks.

On the 7th, the National Intelligence Service announced that, in cooperation with related agencies such as the National Security Office and the National Security Technology Research Institute, it will conduct the '2024 Cyber Attack Response Drill' targeting 287 major information and communication infrastructure facilities from the 10th to the 21st.

National Intelligence Service logo. [Photo by National Intelligence Service]

An official from the National Intelligence Service explained, "The drill assumes a situation where core infrastructure systems are infected and disrupted by malware, causing inconvenience to citizens' daily lives," adding, "It will be a practical drill conducted in sequence, including cyber attack detection, malware isolation, infected system treatment, and system recovery."

The drill will be divided into two phases: from the 10th to the 14th, targeting control systems such as energy and water resources, and from the 17th to the 21st, targeting information systems such as public finance and healthcare. This approach considers the characteristics of each institution. While evaluating the on-site response capabilities that security practitioners in each sector must have, the drill also focuses on strengthening job competencies.

Yoon Oh-jun, the 3rd Deputy Director of the National Intelligence Service, said, "Following North Korea's recent ballistic missile launches and the release of contaminated balloons as consecutive provocations against the South, the possibility of cyber provocations targeting national infrastructure in sectors such as energy and transportation cannot be ruled out," adding, "Through this drill, we will prepare in advance to secure the safety, rapid response, and recovery capabilities of infrastructure in case of emergencies."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.