Unification Ministry's Web site targeted in attempted cyber attack

SEOUL, Aug. 9 (Yonhap) -- The Unification Ministry was the target of an attempted cyber attack in the latest in a string of online attacks on government and corporate websites, though no damage was reported, officials said Tuesday.
Unidentified hackers targeted the Web site of the ministry handling inter-Korean affairs through malware, or malicious software, planted in the email of a lawmaker's aide, said Kim Young-pil, an official at the ministry's cyber security center.
He said the center asked the lawmaker's aide to either change the password or close an email account of a popular South Korean web portal on Monday after being informed by the National Intelligence Service, Seoul's top spy agency.
Kim said there are constant attempts to hack into the ministry's computer network, without elaborating.
The latest attempt came as South Korea outlined a nationwide cyber security strategy to better cope with possible attacks from North Korea and other hackers.
Last month, the Web site of SK Communications Co., the operator of South Korea's third-most visited Web portal, was hacked, compromising the private information of 35 million users in a country of 48 million people.
Earlier this year, South Korea accused North Korea of waging a cyber attack that paralyzed the network of a major local bank. The North has denied the accusation.
The North is also believed to have launched cyber attacks on South Korea's major government and corporate Web sites in 2009 and other similar assaults in March 2010.
South Korean intelligence officials believe the North runs a 1,000-person cyber warfare unit.