By Kim Hyun-bin
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed a cyberattack on the gaming system of the PyeongChang organizing committee about 45 minutes before the opening ceremony of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics Feb. 9.
IOC spokesman Mark Adams said in a daily press briefing Sunday the attack affected systems, including internet and television services, but refused to reveal the source of the attack.
“Maintaining secure operations is our purpose,” Adams said. “We wouldn't start giving the details of the investigation before it comes to an end. In particular, when it involves security in which this game is incredibly important.”
The spokesperson said he does not know who is behind the attack, but added its best not to reveal more information until a full investigation is conducted.
“All issues were resolved and recovered Saturday morning,” Sung Baik-you, spokesman for the PyeongChang organizing committee, told reporters. “We found the cause of the problem, but these issues occur frequently during games, so we decided with the IOC not to reveal the source of the attack.”
Committee official said the cyberattack affected non-core systems and had no effect on the actual events.
However, soon after its detection, servers had to be shut down to prevent further damage to technical systems, leading to the closure of the official PyeongChang Olympic website.
Cybersecurity experts said in January they found early signs of planned cyberattacks from Russian hackers against anti-doping and Olympic organizations, in retaliation for excluding Russia from taking part in the Winter Games.
“The Western media are investigating for Russian fingerprints in attacks on information resources related to the hosting of the Winter Olympic Games in Korea,” Russia’s foreign ministry said. “However, no evidence will be made public.”
Last December, the IOC banned Russia from competing in the 2018 Winter Games because of confirmed allegations of state-sponsored doping during the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.
However, Russian athletes that proved they were clear of drugs were allowed to compete under a neutral flag, known as the Olympic Athletes from Russia (OAR).