Major South Korean mobile network operators LG Uplus and KT Corp. were confirmed by the country's Ministry of Science and ICT to have been impacted by separate data breaches, according to The Korea Herald.
Investigation conducted by the ministry alongside the Korea Internet & Security Agency showed that LG Uplus had exposed user authentication credentials, server configuration data, and employee records as a result of an attack, which was first tipped to KISA in July but only reported by the firm in late October. While the breach was alleged by a whistleblower to have stemmed from a laptop used by its automated process policy management system vendor, officials found inconsistencies between the claims and the APPM server submitted by LG Uplus.
Another report from the ministry detailed that nearly 100 KT servers were compromised with malware that stole data from almost 22,000 users, as well as facilitated unauthorized micropayments totaling $169,500. KT, which has been accused of not adopting essential cybersecurity protections, has been ordered to waive early termination penalties.
"Establishing a secure digital environment is essential for business continuity. As Korea advances toward becoming a global leader in artificial intelligence, strengthening cybersecurity must be treated as a national priority," said South Korean Science and ICT Minister Bae Kyung-hoon.
Investigation conducted by the ministry alongside the Korea Internet & Security Agency showed that LG Uplus had exposed user authentication credentials, server configuration data, and employee records as a result of an attack, which was first tipped to KISA in July but only reported by the firm in late October. While the breach was alleged by a whistleblower to have stemmed from a laptop used by its automated process policy management system vendor, officials found inconsistencies between the claims and the APPM server submitted by LG Uplus.
Another report from the ministry detailed that nearly 100 KT servers were compromised with malware that stole data from almost 22,000 users, as well as facilitated unauthorized micropayments totaling $169,500. KT, which has been accused of not adopting essential cybersecurity protections, has been ordered to waive early termination penalties.
"Establishing a secure digital environment is essential for business continuity. As Korea advances toward becoming a global leader in artificial intelligence, strengthening cybersecurity must be treated as a national priority," said South Korean Science and ICT Minister Bae Kyung-hoon.
