South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said AI models are believed to have been used in some recent cyberattacks against the country’s banks and called for new cybersecurity measures suited to the AI era.
Speaking during a cabinet meeting, Lee said signs of AI use had appeared in some hacking incidents and urged authorities to quickly determine what happened, minimize the damage, and focus personnel and resources on the investigation.
Major Banks Were Targeted
South Korean police have launched a full-scale investigation into cyberattacks against commercial banks that resulted in customer information being exposed.
Shinhan Bank, KB Kookmin Bank, Hana Bank and Woori Bank were among the institutions affected or targeted, according to regulators and local reports. Authorities have not yet disclosed the full scale of the breaches or exactly which AI tools were used.
Hana Bank confirmed that personal information belonging to 89 customers, including names, identification numbers, and phone numbers, was exposed. Financial information was not compromised.
28 IP Addresses Identified
The Financial Supervisory Service and the Financial Security Institute shared information on 28 IP addresses linked to the recent attacks with financial institutions.
The addresses were located across 12 countries, including the United States and Japan. Authorities cautioned that the locations do not necessarily reveal the attackers’ true location because the IP addresses may have been used to hide their identity.
The Financial Services Commission also held an emergency meeting with regulators, financial industry groups and executives from affected institutions, urging the sector to maintain the highest level of vigilance.
Details on the AI Tools Remain Unclear
Authorities have not publicly identified the AI systems involved or explained exactly how they were used in the attacks.
The South Korean government has instead said the incidents show the need for cybersecurity systems designed for an era in which AI can assist attackers.
The incidents follow other recent cases involving AI agents and cyberattacks.
In September, Australia said an OpenAI agent had gained unauthorized access to files on a government health data portal in June. An AI research firm also recently said AI agents attempted to hack a Canadian government website, although Canadian authorities said they had found no indication that their systems were compromised.
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