A VPN Keeps You Safe from Malicious Cyberattacks
The author is a cybersecurity advisor and a contributing writer at Surfshark. She specializes in network security, virtual private networks, and privacy-related issues. She is an engineering professional holding a Bachelor’s degree with a focus on information security from the University of Reading. -- Ed.
South Korea has made advancements in the digital world, yet it’s not inherently a secure location to browse -- whether you’re using a desktop or laptop. While various regulations, laws and guides exist to help citizens and visitors alike reach higher degrees on online safety, taking digital protection into one’s own hands, often, is far more effective.
Still, too few who visit the city of Seoul know about the many digital tools available to them. Even if you’re away from your desktop, you needn’t ditch the Internet altogether. On the other hand, it’s wise to consider alternative browsing devices to just as vulnerable as your home setup -- if not more so.
Those who travel abroad are wise to pre-plan their digital usage, security considerations and preventative measures in the event of a cybersecurity breach. Adopting a VPN like Surfshark is a great place to start. A high-quality VPN is one supplied via a trustworthy provider will not only keep you safe from malicious cyberattacks but also grant access to otherwise restricted online services across the country you’re visiting.
Online Browsing in Seoul
Whether you’re visiting Seoul for a few days or a few months, you should be aware of South Korea’s inherent approach to the Internet, digital information -- and even a user’s online privacy.
The South Korean government has been known to maintain considerable censorship online. During the end of the Cold War, its democratic development split apart from North Korea’s primarily communistic design. South Korea had more opportunities to develop online media coverage -- yet it still has some visibility and over-moderation issues.
Online Censorship
South Korea’s national intelligence agency is constantly checking for cyber threats posed by North Korea. As such, censorship laws have been spawned to prevent the viewing of pro-North-Korean website. Unfortunately, similar approaches have resulted in an over-application of censorship -- even to the point of limiting free speech
Can I Still Use Major Websites?
While Seoul follows suit with most South Korean locations in terms of online censorship, most of the websites available in North America are also accessible in this location. You can still use Google, Firefox, YouTube and similar websites. Likewise, you’ll be able to access your favorite social media websites -- like Facebook and Instagram.
Still, Take Censorship Seriously
While censorship is a major issue in some countries, many travelers don’t consider it to be a pressing issue if they’re just passing through. This is a mistake.
The government of South Korea does actively watch the browsing behavior of its citizens. Because of this, you might find your own browsing behavior being scrutinized. Facebook news articles, Google searches or any other number of online activities could cause issues down the line.
Fortunately, a good VPN is an easy workaround in this scenario. Because a VPN encrypts your data while also hiding your identity, you don’t need to worry about your browsing history being visible when you don’t want it to be. A high-quality VPN can even hide you from the current Internet Service Provider you’re using.
What About North Korean Cyber Attacks?
North Korea still poses several cybersecurity risks for the Internet-goers of South Korea. Primarily, South Korea’s critical infrastructure websites are its biggest target. Following this, North Korean cyberattacks tend to target civil and government websites.
Make no mistake, however, as everyday Internet-users still face some risk. In November 2014, for example, a North Korean hacking organization targeted, and exploited, Sony Pictures Entertainment. The result was the theft of a hefty collection of personal information.
South Korea: The Most Wired Place on Earth
If you’re vacationing in South Korea, you won’t need to worry too much about Internet unavailability. It’s often considered to be the “most wired place on earth” due to its robust networks of not only telecommunications resources but online resources as well.
Unsurprisingly, this makes South Korea a major cybersecurity target for domestic cybercrime. In general, the country still falls behind other nations in terms of viable cyberattack identification, prevention and -- in best-case scenarios -- complete removal.
Banks: Another Prime Target
In 2009, the above-mentioned governmental websites regularly subjected to North Korea’s cyberattacks faced a much higher degree of attacks. Both the National Assembly and Blue House were inoperable for days following a currently unknown introduction of malicious code.
Soon to follow was the targeting of banking systems. A particular 2011 cyberattack even managed to shut down an entire banking computer system --then infecting, or even permanently damaging, all systems associated with this computer.
Even today, companies remain wary when releasing financial information to banking institutions. If you’re visiting Seoul, try to keep most of your financial dealings online -- and certainly beneath the protection of encryption and anonymized use. Even if you’re not a high-risk target, such as a bank, you might still stumble into a domestic cyberattack targeting local businesses linked to public Wi-Fi.
The Seoul Internet Industry: Growing Rapidly
Because South Korea’s online world benefits from a high degree of connectivity, its Internet Industry is booming. So fast, in fact, that cyber security experts sometimes can’t catch up -- even when it comes to digital protection and cyberattack prevention.
It’s possible that your local public networks aren’t capable of defending against the online world’s most modernized exploits and malicious software attacks. For this reason, try to avoid utilizing on-location business Wi-Fi to engage regular shopping services. Remember, however, that some public networks don’t require a login to be accessed.
Just make sure your smartphone hasn’t accidentally hopped onto these locations -- as they’re likely unsecured.
Looking Forward: Seoul Internet Security After 2020
While Seoul still faces challenges in the digital defense world, it’s come a long way. It’s also expected to become much more secure in several years.
Currently, South Korea is working on a comprehensive, national cybersecurity strategy expected to strengthen nationwide protection by 2020. To do this, it is diving into the inner workings of cloud-related facilities and 5G -- as they’ll soon become a standard.
5G and cloud-centric systems are being analyzed and re-analyzed for their defensive capabilities, spanning from self-driving cars to smart factories. Following this, South Korea will craft an intuitive, joint cyberattack response plan which connects the private sector with government, and even military, support.
Traveling Safely Online and Offline
Whenever traveling abroad, your digital location deserves full protection. Stay safe as you travel from physical location to physical location, but don’t forget that your financial information, personal information, location and even governmental information can be taken from your device if you aren’t careful.
Once you’ve left the plan and hit the road, just keep an eye on your surrounding networks. Keep your VPN active, and be considerate of Seoul’s censorship laws. If you do these things, you’ll be incredibly secure online.