South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs data breach impacts thousands

Hackers gained access to South Korea's National Diplomatic Academy's online education system for 10 months, stealing personal information of current and former Ministry of Foreign Affairs employees, including overseas diplomats, according to a recent report by Bleeping Computer.

The breach, which began in April 2025 and lasted until February 2026, exploited a vulnerability in the Academy's server. An estimated 6,000 individuals had their data compromised, including IDs, names, email addresses, and encrypted passwords. While sensitive information like unique identification numbers and home addresses were not exposed, official job titles and departmental affiliations were reportedly leaked. The compromised server was located within the Ministry's headquarters and was excluded from regular security checks, contributing to the prolonged undetected access.

The breach was discovered by the National Intelligence Service in February 2026. The Ministry has since blocked access to the system and implemented enhanced security measures, advising affected individuals to be vigilant against suspicious communications.

Source: Bleeping Computer