Security Unawareness
The number of hacking attempts against nuclear power plants in Korea was found to have reached 1,843 during the last five years. Experts are calling for special cybersecurity measures for nuclear power stations under the circumstances.
According to the Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Corporation’s recent inspection, many computers in the facilities were run without any passwords or with unauthorized USB drives. Anti-virus programs were not current, and backup files and administrator pages were exposed on frequent occasions as well.
The number of information security professionals is very low as well. Specifically, just 53 employees, which is equivalent to merely 0.26 percent of the total manpower of the corporation, are in charge of cybersecurity at 24 nuclear power plants in the country. Even worse, 35 out of the 53 are holding multiple positions.
“The safety and security of atomic power stations are directly related to the safety of the people and cannot be neglected in any case,” said ruling Saenuri Party lawmaker Min Byung-ju at the Science, ICT, Future Planning, Broadcasting, and Communications Committee of the National Assembly.
684 Accidents and Failures over 37 Years
With the situation as it is, the general public’s concerns over aging nuclear power plants as well as hacking attempts are on the rise. The total number of nuclear power generation accidents and breakdowns in Korea has reached 684 since the commercial operation of Gori 1 back in 1978. Out of those, 130 have happened in the oldest facility.
“The government is just repeating that nuclear power generation is a safe way of power supply,” Democratic United Party lawmaker Moon Byung-ho explained, continuing, “However, it would be well advised to reexamine its safety, security, sustainability, and economic advantages by taking this as an opportunity and shutting down the oldest nuclear power stations for a paradigm shift.”