South Korea's brokerages and crypto exchange hit by fresh cyberattacks
What's the story
South Korea's financial industry has been rocked by a new wave of cyberattacks, raising alarms over the risk of AI-powered hacking in Asia. The latest victims include brokerages Daishin Securities and Mirae Asset Global Investments, as well as cryptocurrency exchange Bithumb. The attacks come just a month after another series of hacks targeting South Korean financial institutions.
Tool identification
September attacks linked to suspected China-based hacker
The September attacks on South Korea were linked to a suspected China-based hacker who used an AI penetration testing tool called Artex. However, the cause of the latest breaches is still being investigated by officials.
Daishin Securities has already reported a cyberattack that exposed personal information of 38,490 customers, including names, email addresses, and mobile phone numbers.
Corporate actions
Daishin Securities promises compensation for losses
In response to the cyberattack, Daishin Securities has notified affected customers and is cooperating with authorities in the investigation.
The company has also promised compensation for any losses as required by law.
Meanwhile, Mirae Asset Global Investments and Bithumb have reported separate cybersecurity incidents, but neither has confirmed that customer data was taken in these attacks.
Regulatory response
South Korea calls for stronger cybersecurity measures
In light of these attacks on financial firms and government agencies, South Korea's financial regulator has called for stronger cybersecurity measures.
The country also plans to conduct security checks on dozens of private sector IT systems.
This comes after Japan reported a cybersecurity incident involving GMO Internet, following a spate of attacks on its own financial institutions.