Computer networks at two major South Korean banks and three top TV broadcasters went into shutdown mode en masse Wednesday, paralyzing bank machines across the country. Screens went blank promptly at 2 p.m. (0500 GMT), with skulls popping up on the screens of some computers - a strong indication that hackers planted a malicious code in South Korean systems, the state-run Korea Information Security Agency said. Some computers started to get back online more than 2 1⁄2 hours later. Police and South Korean officials investigating the shutdown said the cause was not immediately clear. But speculation centered on North Korea, with experts saying a cyber attack orchestrated by Pyongyang was likely to blame, according to a report of the Associated Press.
