Nuclear Threat: The Korean Cyber Wars

Nuclear Threat: The Korean Cyber Wars

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8304666_ml featureThe South Korean government is working to develop a cyber weapon to hit North Korean nuclear facilities. This is Information warfare.

The tension between North Korea and South Korea has always been high. Both governments are spending a great effort to improve their cyber capabilities and to try to silently attack the neighbors.

According to Security Affairs North Korea has the highest percentage of military personnel in relation to population, with approximately 40 enlisted soldiers per 1000 people which has a considerable impact on the budget of the country. Last year a defector has declared that North Korea has increased its cyber warfare unit to staff 3,000 people and it is heavily focused on the mass training of its young prodigies to become professional hackers.

On the other side of the peninsula, South Korea is also working to improve its cyber defense and according to recent news the Government of Seoul is also designing a new generation of cyber weapons to target the North Korean critical infrastructure.

iHLS – Israel Homeland Security

The Stuxnet case has demonstrated the effect that a cyber weapon could have against a critical infrastructure. Over the last weeks we have discussed an alleged secret joint venture of Israel and Saudi Arabia to once again hit the Iranian Government.

An Iranian report states that Israel and Saudi Arabia are plotting new computer cyber weapon to sabotage the Iranian nuclear program like happened with Stuxnet. Saudi spy agency, Mossad are collaborating in the design of malware capable of inflicting more damage than Stuxnet.

According to Yonhap news agency also South Korea, inspired by Stuxnet, wants to create and use a cyber weapon. The plans are dated 2010 and were proposed to the Government on February 19th.

The South Korean desire to hit nuclear facilities in the north, is intensifying after the testing of nuclear weapons conducted in underground with controlled explosions there. The explosions caused an earthquake last year, it’s the third time since 2006 that such important tests have been conducted.