(LEAD) Some 25,000 customers' info leaked from Shinhan Bank in apparent AI agent-assisted hacking

Around 25,000 customers' personal data from Shinhan Bank was leaked due to a hacking incident, the lender disclosed on Thursday. The financial watchdog has initiated an on-site inspection in response. The leaked information included customers' loan details, annual income, names, and phone numbers. Shinhan Bank took immediate action to mitigate potential damage.

The hackers, believed to be operating from abroad, exploited advanced artificial intelligence (AI) tools during the attack. Industry experts suggest that while Shinhan Bank may not have been the primary target, it likely became a victim of widespread AI-powered attacks on susceptible online platforms. This incident highlights the urgent need for other financial institutions to bolster their security measures and promptly address any vulnerabilities.

An official from the financial sector emphasized that the entire industry is at risk of such AI agent-assisted attacks, urging financial institutions to carry out thorough security inspections. The Financial Supervisory Service has dispatched a team to investigate the data leak, with the investigation expected to span several months.

In response to the incident, Shinhan Bank has established a response team to tackle the situation swiftly. The bank has implemented safety measures such as blocking external IP addresses and suspending the affected services.