| Ministry of National Defense in central Seoul / Korea Times file |
- AhnLab Security Emergency response Center. In November last year, there was a case that shocked not only the security industry, but also all of the Korean industries.
- The AhnLab Technical Assistance Center provides service to both Standard and Premium users, with modalities including live chat, email, and telephone support as well as onsite training and access to the web-based TAC portal.
- AhnLab ASEC performed an analysis on IE vulnerability CVE-2018-8174 which is being widely used to distribute ransomware and Korean malware. This vulnerability is used to distribute Magniber ransomware as well, and users must apply security patch to prevent damage that can be done.
By Jun Ji-hye
220, Pangyoyeok-ro, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, Korea. Tel +82 31 722 8000. Fax +82 31 722 8000. Google Map Email Inquiries. AhnLab Recognized as 2020 South Korea Endpoint Security Vendor of the Year for Two Consecutive Years; AhnLab V3 Nominated as Top Product by AV-TEST on October 2020 Evaluation; AhnLab Warns of Phishing Website Disguised as Popular Out-of-Stock Items.
AhnLab and EST Security are moving to join the bid for the Ministry of National Defense's biannual project to construct anti-virus software for military internet servers, company officials and industry sources Friday.
Another security software provider, Hauri, which has offered its anti-virus software in the previous projects, has also expressed its intention to participate in the bid, but the bidding is likely to be a two-way race between AhnLab and EST Security, considering that the ministry has been in a court battle with Hauri over the 2016 cyberattacks on military internet servers.
Ahnlab Korea
'We are interested in the bidding for the defense ministry's vaccine project,' an AhnLab official told The Korea Times.
An official from EST Security also said, 'We have decided to join the ministry's project.'
The defense ministry is currently looking for potential bidders and seeks to finalize the selection process by the end of the month at the latest, according to sources and media reports.
Security software providers here have previously seemed reluctant to participate in the ministry's anti-virus software construction project as it was considered to involve high risks but is not that profitable
The military internet servers here always run a risk of cyberattacks as the two Koreas are still technically at war.
Ahnlab South Korea
Military prosecutors concluded in 2017 that the high-profile 2016 cyberattack ― in which a great deal of military data was leaked ― was the work of North Korean agents based in China. Leaked data included some confidential information on the South Korea-U.S. joint operational plan.As Hauri was the sole bidder in 2017, the ministry had to sign a contract with the firm again despite the cyberattack.
But the ongoing project that will cover two years from next year appears to have attracted more security software providers as the ministry increased its budget allocated to the project to about 10 billion won ($8.6 million) from the previous 4.1 billion won.
The ministry divided the project into two sections ― the purchase of anti-virus vaccines, for which 4 billion won will be used, and the system integration, for which 6 billion won has been allocated.
Security software providers are aiming to win a contract to sell their anti-virus vaccines.
'Unlike in the past, this year's project seems to be worth a try in terms of profitability. This would be why large companies such as AhnLab and EST Security are participating,' an official from a security software provider said, asking not to be named.
The ministry plans to purchase licenses of anti-virus vaccines through the Public Procurement Service after evaluating candidates.
Published : Oct 19, 2020 - 15:49 Updated : Oct 19, 2020 - 15:49
The office of Optimus Asset Management is shown in Seoul. (Yonhap) |
About 60 local listed firms, state-run companies and major universities had invested in the scandal-ridden Optimus funds that have lost more than 5 trillion won ($4.38 billion) so far, according to local reports Monday.
The list of investors for fraudulent hedge funds operated by South Korea’s Optimus Asset Management included leading food company Ottogi, which invested 15 billion won, and Kosdaq-listed antivirus software firm AhnLab, which invested 7 billion won, according to the local Korean Economic Daily.
The unlisted Hanwha General Chemical, Hanwha Group’s chemicals unit, made the biggest investment in the hedge fund of 50 billion won. The company, however, saw no loss in the investment, as it redeemed all the capital in September last year, an official said.
Convenience store chain BGF Retail also put in 10 billion won, while LS Electric and game company Nexon invested 5 billion won and 3 billion won, respectively.
The list also included JYP Entertainment and LS Electric affiliate LS Metal, respectively investing 4 billion won and 5 billion won, with each losing some 30 percent of their investment.
HDC and Hanil Cement also put billions of won into the funds, it added.
Besides local firms, private universities such as Sungkyunkwan University, Hannam University and Konkuk University each invested some 4 billion won. Public institutions such as the Korea Racing Authority, Korea Communications Agency and Korea Rural Community Corp. also made large investments into the fraudulent funds.
Meanwhile, Optimus Asset sold over 1.5 trillion won of their funds to over 3,000 retail investors and companies through large brokerages and banks for three years, from June 2017 to May this year.
By Jie Ye-eun (yeeun@heraldcorp.com)
The list of investors for fraudulent hedge funds operated by South Korea’s Optimus Asset Management included leading food company Ottogi, which invested 15 billion won, and Kosdaq-listed antivirus software firm AhnLab, which invested 7 billion won, according to the local Korean Economic Daily.
The unlisted Hanwha General Chemical, Hanwha Group’s chemicals unit, made the biggest investment in the hedge fund of 50 billion won. The company, however, saw no loss in the investment, as it redeemed all the capital in September last year, an official said.
Convenience store chain BGF Retail also put in 10 billion won, while LS Electric and game company Nexon invested 5 billion won and 3 billion won, respectively.
The list also included JYP Entertainment and LS Electric affiliate LS Metal, respectively investing 4 billion won and 5 billion won, with each losing some 30 percent of their investment.
HDC and Hanil Cement also put billions of won into the funds, it added.
Besides local firms, private universities such as Sungkyunkwan University, Hannam University and Konkuk University each invested some 4 billion won. Public institutions such as the Korea Racing Authority, Korea Communications Agency and Korea Rural Community Corp. also made large investments into the fraudulent funds.
Meanwhile, Optimus Asset sold over 1.5 trillion won of their funds to over 3,000 retail investors and companies through large brokerages and banks for three years, from June 2017 to May this year.
By Jie Ye-eun (yeeun@heraldcorp.com)
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