Fake public health alerts of North Korean origin were sent to South Korean users. Photo by scyther5/Shutterstock

SEOUL, June 12 (UPI) -- Email messages containing false updates about Middle East Respiratory Syndrome in South Korea also were found to be delivering malignant codes, possibly of North Korean origin.

South Korean television network KBS reported an analysis of a sample email indicated the malignant code was linked to an IP address originating from a North Korean location to South Korea, where hospitals and health authorities were monitoring the coronavirus and more than 2,500 schools have closed out of fear of infections.


The subject line of the email message read, "Guidelines on MERS Infection Prevention" in Korean and a document titled "Hospital and Patient List" was attached to the email.

The message was made to appear as if it were sent from the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the fake document upon opening would download a malignant code to the user's computer, according to the Korea Internet and Security Agency.

RELATED Mutations found that allow MERS to jump from bats to humans

South Korean news agency Yonhap reported the malignant code, once downloaded, can allow hackers to remotely control the user's computer and steal files from the user's hard drive.

A team of security analysts at KBS tracked the IP to a North Korean address, which raises the possibility the isolated country could be responsible for the email.

According to IT security firm Symantec, the "smishing" or fraud email, carried a Trojan Swrort virus that comes attached to the fraudulent public health message used to lure users.

In April, South Korea's Unification Ministry said North Korean hackers were responsible for infiltrating multiple servers at Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power and for launching six cyberattacks that attempted to steal sensitive data and the personal information of employees.

North Korea has denied that attack and a hacking of Sony Pictures in November.

On Friday South Korea said MERS has killed 13 people and infected 126 people but the rate of infection is slowing.

RELATED North Korea blasts South over handling of MERS virus