Английская Википедия:DDoS attacks during the October 2011 South Korean by-election
The DDoS attacks during the October 2011 South Korean by-election were allegedly two separate distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks that occurred on October 26, 2011. The attacks, which took place during the October 2011 Seoul mayoral by-election, targeted the websites of the National Election Commission (NEC) and then-mayoral candidate Park Won-soon.[1] Investigators assert that the attacks were carried out in hopes of suppressing young voters, to the benefit of the Grand National Party.[2] An aide of Grand National Party legislator Choi Gu-sik was found responsible for the attacks.[3]
The attacks
The attacks consisted of two separate denial-of-service attacks against independent National Election Commission and mayoral candidate Park Won-soon, carried out with the help of a botnet of 200 infected computers.[3] The attacks were conducted during the morning, when citizens--particularly young voters looking to vote before work--would have been expected to look up polling station locations.[2] It has been theorized that the attacks were conducted in the belief that they may reduce voter turnout, to the benefit of the Grand National Party's candidate Na Kyung-won.[1] Police stated that the attack against the NEC lasted about two hours, specifically impacting the part of the website with information on polling locations;[4] Park Won-soon's website was attacked twice that day.[5][3]
The National Police Agency later revealed that an aide to Grand National Part lawmaker Choi Gu-sik, referred to in the media by only their surname "Gong," was responsible for the two attacks.[3][6] The National Police Agency later arrested Gong and four other associates.[7]
Some researchers, however, have questioned the official narrative. Doubts have been raised as to whether Gong had the technical expertise or resources to pull off the attack.[5] Others have pointed out that under a DDoS attack, it would be unusual for parts of a website to be offline while others are online, suggesting perhaps a technical failure instead.[4]
These events caused a collective panic amongst GNP members as they often denounce the online activities of South Korean progressives.Шаблон:Huh[8]
Political impact
The exposure of his role in the attacks led to Choi Gu-sik officially resigning his position as a lawmaker,[9] along with several other members of the GNP.[2]
In the wake of the scandal, reformists in the conservative Grand National Party put pressure on core members of the party who were closely affiliated with the Lee Myung-bak government; this in turn led to Park Geun-hye being brought back into the spotlight to reorganize the GNP.[10]
Social impact
More than 30 universityШаблон:How many student associations made a joint statement calling for a thorough investigation of the attacks.[11]
See also
References
