[ISN] Chinese Hackers Could Use Korea in Attacks against Japan

[InfoSec News]

http://english.donga.com/srv/service.php3?bicode=020000&biid=2005081537228

by Suk-Min Hong 
smhong at donga.com
AUGUST 15, 2005
  
Chinese hackers have put Korea on emergency alert as they will 
reportedly carry out a large-scale attack through Korea against 
Japanese Internet websites. 

Korean servers are highly likely to be chosen as routes for Chinese 
hackers to avert Japan's defenses. 

Netizens fear of a potential "cyber Sino-Japanese war," comparing the 
current situation to the Sino-Japanese War that broke out on the 
Korean peninsula. 

The Ministry of Information and Communication (MIC) and Internet 
related businesses revealed on August 14 that over 45,000 hackers led 
by the country’s largest hacker group, Honker Union, plan to launch an 
all-out attack on Japanese websites starting August 15, the 60th 
anniversary of the end of World War Two. 

In particular, the publisher Husosha that has been criticized for 
distorting history and anti-China sites in Japan are reportedly the 
major targets. 

Chinese hackers so far have mounted as many as six "cyber wars" since 
1999 against Taiwan, the U.S., and Japan, among others. More than 
30,000 members are registered in Honker Union, and China is known to 
nurture more than 100,000 hackers at the national level. 

The problem is that Korea may be affected negatively if Japan blocks 
Chinese IPs identified as hacking sources in countering any attacks. 

Chinese hackers may believe that Japan may find it hard to stave off 
the attack if they target Japanese websites via Korea. 

If Korean sites are used as detours and hit with a wave of connections 
from China, domestic mid- and large-sized computers could go down 
thanks to overloads and be misperceived as hacking targets. 

In response, the MIC sent official notices to domestic ISPs and over 
300 universities to call for increasing Internet security. 

KT, the largest domestic communications carrier, devised and 
distributed "Prevention and Response Plans for the Chinese-Japanese 
Cyber War" for every branch office and plans to run a 24-hour 
"Emergency Control Center."

Dacom also decided to organize a contingency team composed of over 80 
individuals in three teams, which will operate until August 16.