White House among targets of sweeping cyber attack
WASHINGTON — The powerful Internet attack that overwhelmed computers at U.S. and South Korean government agencies for days was even broader than initially realized, pestering the White House, the Pentagon and the New York Stock Exchange and shutting down other official Web sites.
Targets of the most widespread cyber offensive of recent years also included the National Security Agency, Homeland Security Department and State Department, the Nasdaq stock market and The Washington Post, according to an early analysis of the malicious software used in the attacks.
The cyber assault on the White House site had "absolutely no effect on the White House's day-to-day operations," said spokesman Nick Shapiro.
Preventative measures kept whitehouse.gov "stable and available to the general public," Shapiro said, but Internet visitors from Asia may have experienced problems.
South Korean intelligence officials believe the attacks were carried out by North Korea or pro-Pyongyang forces, but many experts in cyberwarfare said it was simply too early to know where the offensive originated.
Many of the U.S. government targets appear to have successfully blunted the sustained computer assaults. But others, such as the Treasury Department, were knocked off-line at times.
Two government officials acknowledged that Treasury's site was brought down, and said the agency had been working with its Internet service provider to resolve the problem. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the matter.
As of last night, Shapiro said, "all federal Web sites were back up and running."
Ed Donovan, a spokesman for the U.S. Secret Service, said that the cyber attacks slowed access to the agency's Web site, which operates on the same computer server as Treasury's. But Secret Service's site remained in operation despite the crippling effects of the cyber offensive, Donovan said.
"Our site was never knocked down, but it was slowed down at points," Donovan said. He added that Secret Service's "operational side" was not affected by the attacks.
State Department spokesman Ian C. Kelly told reporters that the department's state.gov Web site has been under attack since July 5.
"It's still ongoing but I'm told it's much reduced now," Kelly said.
The Associated Press obtained the target list from security experts analyzing the attacks. It was not immediately clear who might be responsible or what their motives were.
Recent comments
I agree with your re: 9:58 comment, though I disagree with your...
Dave | July 8, 2009 at 9:45 p.m.
Anonymous 4:05,
Since you mentioned it, Bush's policies and actions...
Matthew | July 8, 2009 at 4:58 p.m.
Perhaps the liberals will blame this on Bush, too.
Anonymous | July 8, 2009 at 4:05 p.m.
An employee of Korea Internet Security Center works at a monitoring room in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday. South Korean intelligence authorities believe that North Korea or pro-Pyongyang forces in South Korea committed cyber attacks that paralyzed major South Korean and U.S. Web sites, an official said Wednesday.
- Cougars beat Utes in overtime 1:11 a.m.
- UVU beats SUU; USU wins big 12:57 a.m.
- BYU spikers end season with a loss 12:55 a.m.
- Iverson may be headed to 76ers 12:34 a.m.
- Credit Coug defense for win 12:33 a.m.
- Aggies blow away T-birds 12:32 a.m.
- Mo steals show in Cavaliers' victory 12:31 a.m.
- Editorial: Facilitate Big Brother? 12:22 a.m.
- Mom befriends wife of PTSD vet 12:21 a.m.
- Political clash over U.S. debt 12:21 a.m.
- Cave to be sealed with body inside
- Hall mouths off about hate of Utah
- Predicting the unpredictable: BYU wins
- Cougars beat Utes in overtime
- BYU is champion of the state
- Vegas, Poinsettia bowls or bust
- Man trapped in Nutty Putty cave dies
- BYU football: 5 keys to victory
- Glover gives Utes last-second upset
- Idaho woman dies after fall
- Cougars beat Utes in overtime
396 - Hall mouths off about hate of Utah
150 - Thunder rolls by Jazz
136 - Man trapped in Nutty Putty cave dies
115 - Cave to be sealed with body inside
115 - Editorial: Poor welcome for Palin
113 - Rivalry Week is highly profane
88 - Hall's legacy measured today
75 - Y. focused on 10-win season
73 - Letters: C02 causes warming
70
When I was a kid, I worshipped my grandpa. He was undoubtedly my hero....
watch out for next year for sure, the negatives are just closet (and...
And something else, I generally follow players from the state schools when...
I could care less that Max Hall said what he did. The feeling is mutual BYU...
Dear Max, probably could have done without that comment. Probably would've...
As a Utah fan, let me first say congratulations to Max Hall, the Cougars, and...
Geno's and Pat's are good.. but, they are mostly for tourists, the real...
(You even got a middle initial... how's that for 'ya Max) It's nice to see...
Even today, I still cannot get enough of this movie or Charles Gitonga Maina....
...disappointed with Max Hall's comments that he hates everything about UofU....
Over the last few days I read comments of people complaining about tasteless...


