S. Korea raises cyber threat warning due to growing cyberattacks

South Korea's ICT ministry raised the country's cyber threat warning level to respond to growing cyberattacks and threats related to the country's COVID-19 relief funds, such as ransomware.

The government has a five-tier cybersecurity alert system, which is now elevated at the second-lowest level.

Under the new alert level, the Korea Internet & Security Agency will increase monitoring of malware and other cyber threats and fortify response measures with related institutes.

The country's internet security agency reported 78 ransomware attacks in the first half of the year, on track to surpass the 127 cases last year. It had 22 cases in 2018, and 39 in 2019.

The government also expects a spike in phishing attacks with the scheduled pandemic relief funds provision.

The National Assembly endorsed a 34.9 trillion won extra budget last month to finance another round of relief packages to pandemic-hit small merchants and people in the bottom 88 percent income bracket.