Asiana Airlines briefly shuts down website due to hacking attack

Published : Feb 20, 2017 - 16:45 Updated : Feb 20, 2017 - 16:45

Asiana Airlines Co., South Korea's second-largest flag carrier, was forced Monday to temporarily close its global website due to an apparent attack by hackers, causing inconveniences to many who tried to book flights or check their flight schedules.

No leaks of personal information have been detected despite the hacking attack that began around 4:30 a.m., according to company officials.

(Yonhap)

Online services had been restored from as early as 8 a.m., and the company said they were fully back online as of 11 a.m.

While under an attack by hackers calling themselves "Kuroi SH and Prosox," the website showed a hateful message toward Albanians.

"I am sorry, Asiana Airlines, but the world needs to understand the crime against humanity, carried out by Albanians pigs touching Serbia," it read.

A company official said the attack did not directly target the company website, but the server of a contracted firm that manages the company's domain name system.

"It is believed that no data, such as customer information, has been leaked," the official said, while speaking on condition of anonymity.

The company said it has requested that the Korea Internet & Security Agency to find out who is responsible for the attack.

The local police is also said to have launched its own investigation. (Yonhap)