White House Spokesperson Nick Shapiro on Thursday revealed that the president’s official residence was among those targeted by a powerful sweeping cyber attack, which reportedly overwhelmed security features of major computer networks in the US and South Korea.
The attack, which has lasted for days, have targeted other major computer networks including those of the Pentagon, the Nasdaq stock market, Homeland Security Department and State Department, The Washington Post, and the New York Stock Exchange.
The malware, which was earlier thought to be minor in nature, was actually broader than it was initially detected. It has shut down official websites of key industry players, including those of the most secured computers of Pentagon.
The White House official also bared that the attack was similar to what happened years ago.
Meanwhile, Shapiro assured that public that the president is safe, adding that the worm or malicious software has no direct effect on the daily operations of the White House.
But Shapiro said that they have to put tough preventive measure to stop further attack to their website, adding that it will remain stable to the general public in the US but Asian users can experience lagging problems due to the tightened security.
Meanwhile, thousands of miles away in South Korea, Intelligence agency officials pointed to the North Korean regime stressing that the attacks may have been carried out by Pyongyang forces and its supporters.
However, experts said that it is too early to point fingers as the origin of the cyber attack is still unidentified.
Both the US and South Korean government survived the continuous assault but one agency were KOed several time, The Treasury Department is one of them.
The agency is now working with top Internet providers to solve the problem. Shapiro added that all the government websites were now back online and tight security measures are being enforced
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