In 2012, North Korea executed a 16-day GPS jamming attack (April 28 – May 13) targeting South Korea, severely disrupting critical navigation and operational systems. The incident affected 1,016 airplanes and 254 ships, forcing reliance on backup systems and manual navigation, increasing collision risks and operational delays. The jamming extended to oil terminals, causing equipment disconnections and halting fuel distribution at multiple facilities. Additionally, the attack corrupted hard drive data in some systems, compounding recovery challenges. While no direct casualties were reported, the disruption threatened aviation safety, maritime trade, and energy infrastructure, exposing vulnerabilities in South Korea’s GPS-dependent sectors. The attack was attributed to North Korean military cyber units, underscoring its geopolitical intent to destabilize regional security and economic stability. The incident prompted South Korea to invest in GPS anti-jamming technologies and redundant navigation systems to mitigate future threats.
Source: https://www.gpsworld.com/massive-gps-jamming-attack-by-north-korea/
TPRM report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/korea-ship-safety-and-technology-authority
"id": "kor403092125",
"linkid": "korea-ship-safety-and-technology-authority",
"type": "Cyber Attack",
"date": "4/2012",
"severity": "100",
"impact": "8",
"explanation": "Attack that could bring to a war"{'affected_entities': [{'customers_affected': '1,016 airplanes',
'industry': 'Aviation',
'location': 'South Korea',
'name': 'South Korean Aviation Sector',
'type': 'Industry'},
{'customers_affected': '254 ships',
'industry': 'Shipping/Logistics',
'location': 'South Korea',
'name': 'South Korean Maritime Sector',
'type': 'Industry'},
{'industry': 'Energy/Oil & Gas',
'location': 'South Korea',
'name': 'South Korean Oil Facilities',
'type': 'Critical Infrastructure'}],
'attack_vector': ['Radio frequency jamming', 'GPS signal interference'],
'data_breach': {'sensitivity_of_data': 'Moderate (operational integrity)',
'type_of_data_compromised': ['Operational data (GPS '
'coordinates)',
'Hard drive data']},
'date_detected': '2012-04-28',
'date_resolved': '2012-05-13',
'description': 'In 2012, a GPS jamming incident occurred in South Korea, '
'where 1,016 airplanes and 254 ships experienced GPS '
'disruptions over 16 days (April 28 – May 13). The jamming '
'also caused equipment at oil terminals to disconnect, '
'affected several oil facilities, and resulted in hard drive '
'data damage.',
'impact': {'data_compromised': ['Hard drive data corruption'],
'downtime': '16 days (2012-04-28 to 2012-05-13)',
'operational_impact': ['Flight navigation disruptions',
'Maritime navigation disruptions',
'Oil terminal shutdowns',
'Facility operational halts'],
'systems_affected': ['GPS navigation systems (airplanes and ships)',
'Oil terminal equipment',
'Oil facility operations']},
'investigation_status': 'Historical (resolved)',
'motivation': ['Political tension',
'Military provocation',
'Disruption of critical infrastructure'],
'post_incident_analysis': {'root_causes': ['State-sponsored GPS jamming '
'attacks',
'Lack of resilient backup '
'navigation systems']},
'references': [{'source': 'Public reports on 2012 North Korean GPS jamming'}],
'threat_actor': 'North Korea (alleged state-sponsored)',
'title': '2012 South Korea GPS Jamming Incident by North Korea',
'type': ['GPS jamming', 'Electronic warfare', 'Signal disruption']}