Security news
Security news21 June 2004
Korean government agencies hacked by Peep Trojan horse, Sophos reports
According to media reports, the computer crime authorities in South Korea have identified that six government agencies, including the Korean Atomic Energy Research Institute and the Agency for Defense Development, have been compromised by hackers.
On Saturday the National Cyber Security Center (NCSC) announced on Saturday that the Peep Trojan horse was found on 64 computers at the Agency for Defense Development, the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses, the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, the National Maritime Police Agency, and the Small and Medium Business Administration.
According to a statement by the NCSC, emergency action was taken to clean-up the infections and ensure no further data leaked out of the organisations. They also confirmed that they distributed updated anti-virus software to help prevent the attack happening again.
However, the NCSC declined to confirm whether any confidential information was stolen from the hacked agencies before the Trojan horse was discovered.
"Every government organisation which relies upon computers needs multi-layered protection to keep out viruses, worms, Trojan horses and hackers," said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant for Sophos. "Computer security must be a high priority as the threat of internet espionage increases."
Last month, a 30-year-old engineer suspected of being the author of the Peep trojan horse was arrested in Taiwan, after reports of Taiwanese government agencies being compromised by hackers based in China.
Sophos recommends that companies ensure their systems are protected with the latest anti-virus updates. Sophos's anti-virus solutions can be automatically updated, ensuring the latest virus protection is in place against the latest threats even when offices are unmanned.
