Computer worm removed from South Korea nuclear facility

South Korean authorities removed a “computer worm” from some nuclear plant control systems in the country and vowed to increase security there, according to a Reuters report Tuesday. 

The control systems where the nuclear reactors are housed are not accessible from external networks, and the country’s energy ministry said those reactor controls had not been exposed to a virus, according to the report. 

The worm was described as low-risk, and authorities were quoted as saying the find was unrelated to a hacking incident on the plant’s computer network last week. 

{mosads}An official said the worm was likely introduced unintentionally from a worker using a USB drive. The Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co., which operates the plant, said it would increase its cybersecurity staff to 70 and form a committee to monitor security. 

The news follows reports last week that the plant’s computer network had been attacked, exposing some internal data. At the time, the plant operator said it would investigate the breach. 

But officials maintained at the time, as they did Tuesday, that it would be impossible for hackers to interrupt the plant’s operation through a cyberattack because the reactor controls are closed off from outside networks.

The United States recently accused North Korea of being responsible for a massive cyberattack on Sony Pictures, and South Korea has not ruled out similar involvement in this instance, according to Reuters.