• Title/Summary/Keyword: Nuclear security

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The Reality and Response of Cyber Threats to Critical Infrastructure: A Case Study of the Cyber-terror Attack on the Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co., Ltd.

  • Lee, Kyung-bok;Lim, Jong-in
    • KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Systems (TIIS)
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    • v.10 no.2
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    • pp.857-880
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    • 2016
  • Due to an increasing number of cyberattacks globally, cybersecurity has become a crucial part of national security in many countries. In particular, the Digital Pearl Harbor has become a real and aggressive security threat, and is considered to be a global issue that can introduce instability to the dynamics of international security. Against this context, the cyberattacks that targeted nuclear power plants (NPPs) in the Republic of Korea triggered concerns regarding the potential effects of cyber terror on critical infrastructure protection (CIP), making it a new security threat to society. Thus, in an attempt to establish measures that strengthen CIP from a cybersecurity perspective, we perform a case study on the cyber-terror attacks that targeted the Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co., Ltd. In order to fully appreciate the actual effects of cyber threats on critical infrastructure (CI), and to determine the challenges faced when responding to these threats, we examine factual relationships between the cyberattacks and their responses, and we perform analyses of the characteristics of the cyberattack under consideration. Moreover, we examine the significance of the event considering international norms, while applying the Tallinn Manual. Based on our analyses, we discuss implications for the cybersecurity of CI in South Korea, after which we propose a framework for strengthening cybersecurity in order to protect CI. Then, we discuss the direction of national policies.

A Study on the Change of Nuclear Power Plant News Frame in Korean Newspapers Before and After Fukushima Nuclear Accident in Japan (우리나라 원전에 대한 신문 보도 프레임 변화 연구 일본 후쿠시마 원전 사고 전후 비교)

  • Shim, Eun-Jung;Kim, Wi-Geun
    • Korean journal of communication and information
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    • v.76
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    • pp.124-150
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    • 2016
  • The aim of this study is to see the change of the general characteristics and frame of nuclear power plant news in Korea from comparing the before Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan on March 11, 2011 with the after. To this aim, the national daily newspapers and the local daily newspapers in Busan located nuclear power plants were selected, and the content analysis of the newspaper stories about nuclear power plants was done. In research results, the stories about nuclear power plants in Korean newspapers increased greatly after Fukushima nuclear accident. Before the accident the nuclear power plant stories about economy held a large majority, while after the accident the stories about society held. Fukushima nuclear accident served as the momentum that the nuclear power plant stories in Korea became main news. Meanwhile, the frame of nuclear power plant stories in Korean newspapers changed greatly after the accident. Justly the environmental security frame increased greatly, because of increasing greatly the stories about security of nuclear power plants with Fukushima nuclear accident. Particularly in the local daily newspapers in Busan before the accident the environmental security frame was 29.3% of stories about nuclear power plants, and after the accident the frame was 77.6%.

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Public Perception and Communication Patterns Pertaining to Nuclear Power in Korea: Focusing on the Transition Period from Pro-nuclear to De-nuclear Policy

  • Eunok Han;Yoonseok Choi
    • Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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    • v.47 no.4
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    • pp.226-236
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    • 2022
  • Background: An effective communication strategy for reducing conflicts in South Korea has been designed through the analysis of public perception and communication variables on nuclear power under the conditions of rapidly changing nuclear power policies. Materials and Methods: This study conducted both qualitative research through group discussions based on social psychology and quantitative research through surveys. Results and Discussion: Nuclear power plant (NPP) area residents in favor of nuclear power indicated higher levels of communication, safety perception, and contribution than those against it. NPP area residents trusted the civilian expert groups (18.3%) and local government (17.3%) the most, while metropolitan city residents trusted the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission and the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (20.7%) the most. In determining nuclear power policy, both the NPP area residents (18.1%) and metropolitan city residents (17.1%) prioritized safety, health, and the environment. While metropolitan city residents thought that energy security and economic growth (16.4%) were important, NPP area residents thought the current issue of spent fuel rods (14.1%) to be important. Conclusion: It is necessary for the nuclear power industry to have and actively implement communication and conflict resolution strategies based on the patterns obtained in the study results.

RADIOACTIVE SOURCE SECURITY: WHY DO WE NOT YET HAVE A GLOBAL PROTECTION SYSTEM?

  • Englefield, C.
    • Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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    • v.46 no.4
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    • pp.461-466
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    • 2014
  • Security of radioactive sources has been an issue since the earliest days of safety regulation of such materials. Since the events of September 11 2001, some governments and regulatory bodies have been much more focussed on these issues and have introduced extensive and enhanced security arrangements. International organisations like the IAEA and WINS have worked hard to help States in this regard. However, only a minority of States have implemented statutory security systems for radioactive source security. Why have so many States still to take action? What can be done to encourage and support these changes? This paper will offer some possible explanations for the lack of action in so many States and some potential answers to these questions.

A Study on Method to Establish Cyber Security Technical System in NPP Digital I&C (원전 디지털 계측제어시스템 사이버보안 기술 체계 수립 방법 연구)

  • Chung, Manhyun;Ahn, Woo-Geun;Min, Byung-Gil;Seo, Jungtaek
    • Journal of the Korea Institute of Information Security & Cryptology
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    • v.24 no.3
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    • pp.561-570
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    • 2014
  • Nuclear Power Plant Instrumentation and Control System(NPP I&C) which is used to operate safely is changing from analog technology to digital technology. Ever since NPP Centrifuge of Iran Bushehr was shut down by Stuxnet attack in 2010, the possibility of cyber attacks against the NPP has been increasing. However, the domestic and international regulatory guidelines that was published to strengthen the cyber security of the NPP I&C describes security requirements and method s to establish policies and procedures. These guidelines are not appropriate for the development of real applicable cyber security technology. Therefore, specialized cyber security technologies for the NPP I&C need to be developed to enhance the security of nuclear power plants. This paper proposes a cyber security technology development system which is exclusively for the development of nuclear technology. Furthermore, this method has been applied to the ESF-CCS developed by The KINCS R&D project.

A Study on Vulnerability Assessment for the Digital Assets in NPP Based on Analytical Methods (분석적 방법을 적용한 원전디지털자산 취약점 평가 연구)

  • Kim, In-kyung;Kwon, Kook-heui
    • Journal of the Korea Institute of Information Security & Cryptology
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    • v.28 no.6
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    • pp.1539-1552
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    • 2018
  • The necessity of establishing a more secure cyber security system is emerging to protect NPP against cyber attacks as nuclear facilities become increasingly reliant on digital system. Proper security measures should be established through periodic analysis and evaluation of vulnerabilities. However, as Nuclear facilities has safety characteristics as their top priority and it requires a lot of time and cost to construct regarding the activities for vulnerability analysis, it is difficult to apply the existing vulnerability analysis environment and analysis tools. In this study, We propose a analytical vulnerability assessment method to overcome the limitations of existing vulnerability analysis methods through analysis the existing vulnerability analysis methods and the issues to be considered when applying the vulnerability analysis method.

The Necessity of Korea-Japan Security Cooperation in order to Overcome North Korea's Nuclear Treats: Challenge & Conquest (북한 핵위협 극복을 위한 한일 안보협력 필요성 : 도전과 극복)

  • Kim, Yeon Jun
    • Convergence Security Journal
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    • v.18 no.2
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    • pp.89-99
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    • 2018
  • In the year 2018, South Korea faces a crucial decision with regard to reunification. Starting from inter-Korean and US-North summits held from April through June, A rough journey for North Korea's "Complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement" began. Although South Korea insists that North Korea's Nuclear 'CVID' is the only minimum condition in the process of peaceful reunification, North Korea and other countries who support North Korea, including China and Russia, will possibly claim that North Korea's Nuclear 'CVID' will minimize their political and military positions internationally. Despite representatives from each country agreeing to North Korea's denuclearization, it is inevitable that many challenges still need to be resolved during the process. From the perspective of the Chinese government, North Korea is not a country that stimulates international conflicts. Instead, China can utilize North Korea as their political and tactical leverage against the US in order to compete for hegemonic power in Asia. In order to reject the emerging supremacy of China and resolve uncertainties in the denuclearization agreement and implementation process, I suggest the necessity of 'Korea-Japan Security Cooperation' as a 'second alternative' to achieve the North Korea's Nuclear 'CVID'.

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Analysis report for readiness posture against north korea nuclear threat - Focused mainly in non-military area of government readiness posture - (북한의 핵위협 대비태세 분석 - 정부의 비군사분야 대비태세를 중심으로 -)

  • Kim, In-Tae
    • Korean Security Journal
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    • no.42
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    • pp.205-227
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    • 2015
  • The Korean Peninsula is put in a position to carry out a highly strategic game vis-a-vis nK, which is asserting itself as a nuclear power amongst Northeast Asia's complex dynamics. While the international community recognizes nK's possession of nuclear weapons as released secret based on nK's three nuclear tests, shrewd strategic thinking is needed by ROK to secure itself as a non-nuclear nation in order to assume a responsible role to the international community, while simultaneously being ready to respond at all times for nK's military provocations. ROK must continue with its twofold strategy, by firm response to military confrontation with nK and maintaining flexible policy of tolerance in the areas of economy and ethnicity. Various strategic options to overcome nK's nuclear threats have been presented to ROK, whose possession of nuclear weapons have been difficult, and nK's nuclear capability is a real threat to ROK's national security. We must be able to respond to nK's nuclear threats strictly from ROK's national security perspective. This thesis aims to propose a response policy for nK's nuclear capability and nK's nuclear attack based on analysis of such nuclear damage, ROK Government's response posture against nK's nuclear threats, centered around ROK Government's non-military response posture.

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A novel approach for analyzing the nuclear supply chain cyber-attack surface

  • Eggers, Shannon
    • Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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    • v.53 no.3
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    • pp.879-887
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    • 2021
  • The nuclear supply chain attack surface is a large, complex network of interconnected stakeholders and activities. The global economy has widened and deepened the supply chain, resulting in larger numbers of geographically dispersed locations and increased difficulty ensuring the authenticity and security of critical digital assets. Although the nuclear industry has made significant strides in securing facilities from cyber-attacks, the supply chain remains vulnerable. This paper discusses supply chain threats and vulnerabilities that are often overlooked in nuclear cyber supply chain risk analysis. A novel supply chain cyber-attack surface diagram is provided to assist with enumeration of risks and to examine the complex issues surrounding the requirements for securing hardware, firmware, software, and system information throughout the entire supply chain lifecycle. This supply chain cyber-attack surface diagram provides a dashboard that security practitioners and researchers can use to identify gaps in current cyber supply chain practices and develop new risk-informed, cyber supply chain tools and processes.