[ISN] Korea to train 3,000 'cyber sheriffs'

http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/NEWKHSITE/data/html_dir/2009/09/14/200909140072.asp

By Cho Chung-un
The Korea Herald
September 14, 2009

The government will train 3,000 "cyber sheriffs" by next year to protect 
the country from future cyber attacks, officials said yesterday.

Cyber sheriffs are trained experts capable of maintaining cyber security 
for businesses from cyber attacks and malicious hackers. The government 
plans to encourage colleges to open intensive courses to train cyber 
experts. Graduates of the courses will be hired by government offices 
and businesses in the future, officials said.

According to the plan, the National Intelligence Service is to take a 
leading role when cyber attacks are launched. They will cooperate with 
other government offices and businesses to minimize damage from the 
possible "cyber terrorists."

Separately, the Defense Ministry is to form an Army unit to fight 
against cyber attacks by another country's military.

The Korea Communications Commission plans a nation-wide publicity 
campaign on cyber terrorism.

The comprehensive plan on enhancing cyber security comes two months 
after cyber attacks that severely slowed or disrupted the nation's 
government agencies, banks and internet sites.

Although the so-called distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks left 
no significant damage, investigators have failed to find the origin of 
the attacks.

"The July 7 DDoS attacks demonstrated the country's vulnerability and 
offered the government a chance to reexamine its countermeasures on 
cyber terrorism. They also raised concerns on security management of 
personal computers as well," a government official said.

The government plans to review the legal framework on reinforcing 
control of programs designed to attack other computers. It also plans to 
expand state spending on enhancing cyber security.

Korea is a leading country for information technology and one of the 
most concentrated markets for high-speed internet.

The country has about 16 million broadband internet subscribers, which 
accounts for more than a third of the population.


________________________________________
Please Donate to the Ron Santo Walk to 
Cure Diabetes with Ethan's Crew!
http://www.c4i.org/ethan.html