Korean government to initiate hacking countermeasures

Seoul, Feb 10 (Asia Pulse) - The Information and Communications Ministry asked Web site operators to make emergency security measures to block any copycat crimes and set its own plans to form security regulations and a protection committee on Thursday.

The ministry will pass regulations on security and accountability that Internet site operators should abide by, jointly with the Korea Information Security Agency, private research centers and universities. It will also make an information and communication base protection act to classify national basic networks in financial and telecommunication fields for special management and strengthen punishment of related criminals.

An Internet site operating system protection committee will be also set up to collect opinions of specialists to make the regulations, according to the ministry's plan. The committee will also evaluate the security of various Internet sites of companies, universities, shopping malls, portal sites and Web broadcasting systems regularly and award safe Internet site certification mark to safe sites.

Internet shopping sites will be the first sites to get assessment for certification mark starting from the middle of March, the ministry said, adding that only five to ten percent of all domestic Internet sites are known to have appropriate security equipments now.

Over 150 state organizations, companies, universities and research centers will also share related information to prevent hacking and jointly deal with incidents through the Consortium of Computer Emergency Response Teams, while strengthening tie-ups with the Forum of Incident Response and Securities Team (FIRST).

Meanwhile the ministry will hold an emergency meeting with the prosecution, police, National Information Service and Korea Information Security Industry Association in the afternoon.