Mystery of North Korean internet outage

Internet services are gradually being restored in North Korea after an unprecedented outage that lasted over nine hours, which occurred in the wake of a cyber security row with the United States
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ENCLOSED INTERNET

North Korea has very limited access to global internet but does have its own intranet (internal internet), hosting state-controlled news and cookery website

Korean Central News Agency website promotes propaganda such as: “U.S. urged to honestly apologise to mankind for its evil doing before groundlessly pulling up others”

Limited connections to outside world – reserved for elite, military and propaganda machine – handled by state-run ISP Star Joint Ventures, which in turn is routed through China Unicom
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NORTH
KOREA
CHINA
P’yongyang
Single border connection vulnerable to overload of routing infrastructure
100km
60 miles
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DISPUTE TIMELINE

Nov 24: Sony Pictures hacked by Guardians of Peace (GOP), who in following days leak private emails, sensitive data and unreleased movies online 

Dec 1: FBI investigates whether North Korea may be linked to attack because of Sony’s upcoming comedy The Interview, about assassination attempt on Kim Jong Un

Dec 3: North Korean diplomat denies country involved in Sony hack

Dec 7: State-run news agency calls hacking “righteous deed” but again denies involvement

Dec 16: GOP posts message threatening 9/11-type attacks on theatres that screen The Interview. Number of cinema chains withdraw movie. East coast premiere cancelled

Dec 18: U.S. says it is considering “proportional response” to cyber attack

Dec 19: FBI confirms North Korea is behind Sony hack

Dec 22: North Korean internet goes offline for over nine hours

Dec 17: U.S. official accuses North Korea of Sony hack. Sony cancels plans to release movie

Dec 11: Photographers invited to Los Angeles premiere of The Interview but no broadcast or print reporters

Source: Wire agencies
Picture: Sony Pictures Entertainment