Science & Tech · Cybersecurity · 2 hrs ago
Five South Korean cybersecurity staff disciplined for accessing StarCraft servers
Five employees at South Korea’s state-run National Security Research Institute accessed StarCraft’s Battle.net servers between September and December 2024.
The institute works on cybersecurity, and the employees were based at a training center separate from its headquarters.
The center used an external network for training, which allowed staff to reach game servers outside the institute’s network.
Records showed that one employee logged more than 90 hours of access, though the employees denied spending all that time playing games.
All five received reprimands, and their annual paid leave was reduced in proportion to the time they had been logged on.
A lawmaker also raised concern that a manager had shouted at the employee who reported the activity.
The institute has been urged to improve oversight and protect employees who report wrongdoing.
Five employees at South Korea’s National Security Research Institute were disciplined for accessing StarCraft servers during work in 2024.
They logged on to the game’s Battle.net service between September and December.
Records showed one employee accessed the service for more than 90 hours in total and for as long as eight hours and 53 minutes in one day.
All five received reprimands and had paid leave deducted in proportion to their time logged on.
A lawmaker said the incident showed a need for stronger oversight and better protection for internal whistleblowers.
- Who
- Five employees at the National Security Research Institute.
- What
- They accessed StarCraft’s Battle.net service during work hours and received reprimands and deductions from paid leave.
- When
- Between September and December 2024; the incident was reported by a lawmaker on October 12.
- Where
- The Cybersecurity Training and Exercise Center in South Korea.
- Why
- The employees reportedly said they accessed the network for entertainment after a major event. They used an external training network that allowed access to game servers.
National Security Research Institute employees
Representative Hwang Jung-a
Conduct
National Security Research Institute employees
The employees reportedly said they used the network for entertainment after a major event and denied spending all their time online playing games.
Representative Hwang Jung-a
Hwang called repeatedly accessing game servers while supervisors were away a serious lapse in discipline.
The five employees logged on to StarCraft’s Battle.net service.
The experimental internet connection was blocked, but some employees continued to access the external network.
Representative Hwang Jung-a said the employees had accessed the game servers.
- Employees disciplined
- Five
- Institution
- National Security Research Institute
- Game service
- StarCraft’s Battle.net
- Access period
- September–December 2024
- Longest daily access
- Eight hours and 53 minutes
- Total access by one employee
- More than 90 hours
What people are saying
Repeatedly accessing game servers while taking advantage of their managers’ absence is a serious lapse in discipline for employees tasked with protecting the nation’s cybersecurity.
Along with thorough oversight of employees’ conduct and strict accountability, the institute must review its safeguards to ensure that internal whistleblowers do not suffer disadvantages.
Sources
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