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RipperSec & The Comrade’s Group Attack The Korea Times: Is South Korea Involved in Genocide in Palestine?
> By Clara | Aug 04, 2026 | 3 min read
Cybersecurity researchers have reported a new distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) campaign targeting The Korea Times, South Korea’s leading English-language daily newspaper. The attack has been claimed by The Comrade’s Group, a subgroup operating under the wider RipperSec collective.
Timeline of the Attack
On August 1, 2026, the site began displaying repeated 502 Bad Gateway errors, affecting the homepage and multiple articles and blocking access for readers worldwide. Check-host.net independently confirmed the attack through dozens of global monitoring nodes, with consistent server error responses and prolonged connection timeouts.
Geopolitical Context
The timing of the attack stands out for several reasons:
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- Rising arms exports , South Korea sold weapons valued at approximately 84 billion won ($59 million) to Israel in 2024, a substantial increase during the Gaza conflict (Business & Human Rights Resource Centre).
- K2 defense deal , In September 2025, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Hyundai Rotem signed a major agreement at the MSPO exhibition in Poland to integrate Israel’s TROPHY Active Protection System onto South Korea’s K2 Main Battle Tank, with plans for local co-development and production.
- Diplomatic tension , In May 2026, President Lee Jae Myung publicly criticized Israel’s detention of South Korean nationals participating in a flotilla to Gaza, calling it “way out of line” and a violation of international law.
Attackers’ Claims
Screenshot captures from the Telegram group “The Comrade’s Group” (1,247 members) show the attackers’ messaging, including a pinned post and messages referencing “black money” alongside explicit threats directed at South Korea’s relationship with Israel.
Message Excerpt · Telegram
“This is not about my personal problem. Even…” , from a pinned post in The Comrade’s Group channel.
“This is not about my personal problem. Even…” , from a pinned post in The Comrade’s Group channel.
The group previously shared direct links to Koreatimes.co.kr and displayed the 502 error page as proof of success. Independent verification confirms the technical DDoS activity, though the exact launch infrastructure and command servers remain undisclosed.
Threat Actors
RIPPERSEC
An anonymous collective known for disruptive cyberattacks, overseeing several subgroups including The Comrade’s Group.
THE COMRADE’S GROUP
A RipperSec-affiliated subgroup operating within the Telegram ecosystem that frequently posts geopolitical commentary.
As part of the RipperSec network, the group has previously claimed responsibility for similar operations targeting other Asian media outlets.
Potential Impact
The disruption could delay public access to breaking news at a time when Seoul is navigating complex foreign policy decisions. No data theft or ransomware deployment has been reported. The campaign demonstrates the attackers’ willingness to target civilian infrastructure during periods of heightened geopolitical activity.
Current Status
Authorities
Notified
Notified
Official Statement
None Yet
None Yet
Investigation
Ongoing
Ongoing
Data Theft
Not Detected
Not Detected
Evidence & Sources
Proof the Korea Times website is down
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Evidence of South Korea, Israel ties
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Conclusion
This latest strike highlights the growing overlap between cyber operations and geopolitical conflicts. As South Korea deepens its defense partnership with Israel, it faces increased scrutiny in the digital space. For now, the precise origins of the attack remain unknown, but the message from the RipperSec network, via The Comrade’s Group, appears clear: they are closely monitoring South Korea’s international engagements.
Mitigation & Prevention Strategies
To defend against advanced Layer 7 and volumetric DDoS attacks observed in these campaigns, organizations should implement the following defensive postures:
- Edge Protection: Deploy robust Web Application Firewalls (WAF) and Anti-DDoS solutions configured to challenge anomalous request rates (e.g., CAPTCHA or JS challenges) before they hit origin servers.
- Geographic Rate Limiting: If the threat actor originates from or utilizes botnets concentrated in specific regions, enforce geo-blocking rules for non-essential traffic.
- Infrastructure Scaling: Ensure load balancers and auto-scaling groups are optimized to absorb sudden traffic spikes while maintaining core service availability.
Disclaimer: The information presented in this threat intelligence report is for educational and cybersecurity research purposes only. CyberAsia reports on cyber incidents to help organizations understand and defend against emerging threats. We do not provide hacking instructions, host stolen data, or endorse illegal activities.
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The report above detailing RipperSec & The Comrade’s Group Attack The Korea Times: Is South Korea Involved in Genocide in Palestine? is part of the CyberAsia public archive. For organizations requiring real-time attack telemetry, check-host latency records, and edge firewall mitigation strategies for ddos incidents, please refer to our Secure Drop or contact the research desk.
