The massive Internet shutdown that occurred Jan.25 caused by the Sapphire/SQL Slammer computer virus caused chaos for online shoppers, bankers and gamers. The virus affected the entire Internet community, jamming up service providers, Internet hubs that connect Korean and overseas networks and crashing Web sites. It’s little wonder that Koreans feared for their safety in the virtual world, considering that Korea has over 10 million high-speed Internet users. Yet perhaps the greatest frustration was the fact that the major shutdown could have been prevented through better security measures and greater public awareness of information security. The Ministry of Information and Communication (MIC) has recognized the need for taking action to thwart future attacks. MIC will take an active role in promoting security countermeasures and actions aimed at supporting the growth of the information security industry. Full Story