Gov¡¯t defenseless against cyber terrorism

Governmental administrative organizations were found to lie completely vulnerable against cyber terrorisms, including hacking.

According to a report on the situation for information protection by the central administrative institutions worked out by the Ministry of Information and Communication, 40 out of the 48 governmental ministries, except the ministries of justice, construction and transportation, and information and communication, had no invasion detection systems to monitor for possible hacking attempts, revealing their positions as defenseless.

In the checkup jointly conducted with the State Affairs Coordination Office and the National Intelligence Service Dec. 11 and 12, seven institutions, including the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy, did not possess even an invasion cutoff system, an essential to intercept the invasion of a hacker.

Most institutions, except nine, such as the ministries of defense, foreign affairs and trade, government administration and home affairs, information and communication, and the National Intelligent Service, failed to assign officials to be responsible for the protection of information, showing problems in the operation and management of information protection.

As most public servants use Internet or e-mail through personal computers, the possibility of hacking or computer virus attacks and of outflow of important information to the outside is very high, it also pointed out. As a result, 100 out of the total of 1,943 hacking cases occurred in the governmental institutions last year.

Related to this, the Ministry of Information and Communication has decided to introduce a system to protect information in keeping the Information Communication Base Protection Law to be implemented in July. After having consultations with relevant ministries, it will implement a new system concerning the information protection certificate beginning next year to secure necessary professionals. At the same time, it ordered those without an invasion cutoff system to establish the system in the first quarter of this year.

Kim Tae-Han freewill@donga.com