South Korean banks hit by series of hacking attacks and data breaches

banking sector hacking customer data breach AI-based cyberattack South Korean financial institutions cybersecurity vulnerability

A series of coordinated hacking attacks has targeted several major South Korean banks, resulting in the leak of customer personal information. Shinhan Bank reported that approximately 25,000 customers had their data compromised, including names, phone numbers, and loan-related details such as annual income and credit limits. KB Kookmin Bank confirmed a leak affecting roughly 119 customers, while Hana Bank reported 89 victims, and BNK Busan Bank saw the information of 11 outsourced employees exposed.

Security experts suggest the attackers may have utilized AI-driven automated tools, such as the Chinese-developed ARTEX AI, to identify vulnerabilities. Rather than targeting core banking systems, the breaches focused on secondary channels like loan recruitment services, employee mobile support systems, and sales support platforms, which often have less stringent authentication protocols.

The Financial Services Commission has convened emergency meetings, ordering banks and credit card companies to conduct comprehensive security audits of all externally exposed IT assets and authentication processes. The National Police Agency has also launched an investigation into the incidents. Both Shinhan and KB Kookmin Bank have pledged to provide full compensation to customers if actual damages are confirmed.

Entities

ARTEX AI · Financial Services Commission · Financial Supervisory Service · Hana Bank · KB Kookmin Bank · Shinhan Bank

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 2 SOURCES] Security experts suggest the attacks may have utilized AI-based automated tools like ARTEX AI. www.sisajournal.com · www.joseilbo.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] Hana Bank confirmed the leak of information belonging to 89 customers. www.joseilbo.com
[● 6 SOURCES] KB Kookmin Bank confirmed a leak of approximately 100 to 119 customers' information via external intrusion. www.imaeil.com · www.tfmedia.co.kr · www.hani.co.kr · www.joseilbo.com · www.seoul.co.kr
[● 3 SOURCES] Shinhan Bank and KB Kookmin Bank have pledged to provide full compensation to customers if actual damages are confirmed. www.tfmedia.co.kr · www.hani.co.kr · www.mbn.co.kr
[○ 1 SOURCE] The National Police Agency's Cyber Terror Response Investigation Unit has launched an investigation into the hacking incidents. www.joseilbo.com
[● 3 SOURCES] The Financial Services Commission held an emergency response meeting to address the series of banking sector data breaches. www.tfmedia.co.kr · www.seoul.co.kr
[● 8 SOURCES] Shinhan Bank confirmed that personal information for about 25,000 customers was leaked. www.imaeil.com · www.sisajournal.com · www.tfmedia.co.kr · www.hani.co.kr · www.joseilbo.com · +2 more
[○ 1 SOURCE] BNK Busan Bank confirmed the leak of personal information for 11 outsourced employees. www.joseilbo.com