(LEAD) 180,000 cases of personal info leaked from Sogang University; ex-President Park believed to be affected

SEOUL, August 15 (Yonhap) - Sogang University in the South Korean capital experienced a cyber intrusion earlier this week, resulting in the unauthorized disclosure of approximately 180,000 personal data records. Among those potentially compromised is former President Park Geun-hye, according to school officials.

The university disclosed on Saturday that an unknown external actor breached its integrated login account system. The leaked data encompasses sensitive information such as student identification numbers, full names, academic affiliations, mobile phone numbers, and encrypted password details. Initial detection of the breach occurred on Friday, following three days of covert activity.

Upon learning of the incident, the university swiftly acted to mitigate further damage. They promptly blocked the malicious IP address from accessing their systems and implemented emergency security protocols. Subsequently, they promptly notified relevant authorities, including the Personal Information Protection Commission and the Ministry of Education, about the security incident.

As of press time, the university was actively engaged in a comprehensive investigation to pinpoint the vulnerabilities exploited during the attack. They are collaborating with a third-party cybersecurity firm to fortify their protective measures, including enhancing their monitoring capabilities to prevent similar breaches in the future.

Park Geun-hye, the nation's former leader, attended Sogang University in the late 1960s and early 1970s, earning a degree in electronics engineering. Her student ID number, which was a public figure during her 2007 presidential campaign, was among the data exposed during this recent security breach.