Organizers of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics are working to find the source of a cybershutdown during the opening ceremony. The event could be seen by many hackers as a prized target.
Image: picture alliance/MAXPPP/R. Brunel
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South Korea has been investigating a mysterious cybershutdown that affected internal internet and Wi-Fi systems during the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang on Friday.
Cybersecurity teams and experts from various Korean ministries, including the Defense Ministry, joined a task force to probe the shutdown, games organizers said.
International Olympic Committee (IOC) spokesman Mark Adams seemed to suggest there had been an attack but said systems were not in further danger.
"We are not going to comment on the issue. It is one we are dealing with. We are making sure our systems are secure, and they are secure," he said. But he did not reveal the source of the shutdown, saying "best industry practice says that you don't talk about an attack at this stage."
Other organizers said the problems had been successfully tackled.
"All issues were resolved and recovered yesterday morning," Pyeongchang organizing committee spokesman Sung Baik-you told reporters.
"We know the cause, but that kind of issue occurs frequently during the games. We decided with the IOC we are not going to reveal the source," he added.
Various systems, including the internet and television services, crashed during the ceremony at about 7:15 p.m. (1015 UTC) on Friday and were still not back to normal at midday on Saturday, organizers said.
The shutdown came after warnings that organizations working at the Olympics could be targeted by malware phishing attacks.
The opening ceremony was marked by hi-tech effectsImage: Reuters/T. Melville
Wide range of possible sources
The Winter Games are being held just 80 kilometers (50 miles) from North Korea, which has been blamed for a series of cyberincidents, including the WannaCry global ransomware attack last year. North Korea, which is still technically at war with the South after their 1950-1953 conflict ended without a peace treaty, has called such accusations "absurd."
Russia has also faced, and denied, allegations that it has launched hacking attacks on the Pyeongchang Olympics, where its team is formally banned from competing after a systemic doping scheme was uncovered.
Experts believe that the games could be seen as a high-profile target by many hackers seeking kudos from their peers.
"The whole world's watching. It's one of the largest stages you can have to get a message out there," Ross Rustici, director for intelligence at the Boston-based cybersecurity analytics company Cybereason, told the Tribune News Service, adding that many "lower-tier guys" could be after "bragging rights."
10 travel tips for South Korea
With its mix of high-tech and tradition, a visit to South Korea in the far east is always worth it — and not just because the Winter Olympics 2018 will be held here.
Image: picture-alliance/Augenklick/Kunz
Pyeongchang
In the Taebaek Mountains on the east coast of the country there are many ski and snowboarding areas. From February 9th -25th Pyeongchang will host the 2018 Winter Games. It will mark the second time since the 1988 Summer Games that South Korea will host the Olympics.
Image: picture alliance/YNA/Air Force
Seoul
Seoul is the throbbing, futuristic capital of South Korea, with some 10 million inhabitants. The latest attraction is the High-Line-Park Seoullo 7017 – a disused overpass now serving as an urban walkway with restaurants, cafés and exhibitions. But there is also lots of history to be discovered in Seoul, like the Hanok districts with traditional houses and palaces of the Joseon-Dynasty.
Image: picture alliance/Yonhap
Bulguksa Temple
Buddhist architectural art can be admired in countless temples. Located in Gyeongju is the temple complex Bulguksa, which with its distinctive pagodas has been listed a UNESCO World Heritage Site sine 1995. The Bulguksa compound along with other Buddhist temples participate in the Templestay program — which gives people the opportunity to live and meditate with Buddhist monks.
Image: picture alliance/robertharding/M. Runkel
Busan
The port city in south-east is South Korea's most populous city after Seoul. Its beaches and the annual Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), one of the most renowned in Asia, make it so popular.
Image: picture alliance/Yonhap
Seoraksan National Park
The national park attracts tourists all year round, but the main season for Seoraksan is autumn because the colors in the area are considered to be among the most beautiful in Korea. The red and yellow forest is interrupted by rocks and small mountain streams. On well marked paths visitors can climb Daecheongbong Peak, which at 1,708 meters (5,604 ft.) is the highest mountain in the national park.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/R. Gilbert
Demilitarized Zone
Those wishing to better understand the history of North and South Korea should visit Panmunjeom base in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between the two countries. The demarcation line, the border between North and South Korea, actually runs though the middle of the blue barracks. The barracks take turns in being accessible for visitors from both sides.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/D. Kalker
Jeju Island
South Korea's coast is full of little islands. The biggest of these is the volcanic island Jeju, which is a listed UNESCO natural World Heritage Site. Haenyeo, or female divers, hunt for squid, sea urchins and other shellfish along the coast, which they catch for the tourists. These specially trained divers do not require any oxygen or diving equipment.
Image: picture alliance/Yonhap
Hongdae Free Market
Most shopping districts in Seoul provide a wide choice of electronics, clothes and cosmetics. There are also many markets. At the Hongdae Free Market, art students sell their creations every weekend. Department store fans should seek out the Shinsegae Center is Busan — which at 14 storeys high is one of the biggest department stores in the world.
Traditional bath houses, or Jjimjilbang, are a popular place to relax for many Koreans. These bath houses, with different saunas, steam baths and pools are open 24-hours a day. Along with services like massages and peeling treatments, they often also offer sleeping rooms for overnight stays.
Image: Wikipedia/Korean Culture and Information Service
Kimchi and Company
Korean food is varied and healthy. The most common dishes on offer at street stalls or in restaurants is fermented Chinese cabbage — Kimchi — as well as rice and soup variations. Korean barbecues involve cooking meat, fish and shellfish at a small table grill. All that remains to be said is: "Jal meokkesseumnida"! (Enjoy your meal)
