South Korea's president warned AI was used to hack 7 banks, exposing 68,000 people

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung stated on Tuesday that artificial intelligence models are suspected to have been utilized in recent bank hacking incidents, prompting the nation to devise cybersecurity measures appropriate for the AI era. Addressing a cabinet meeting, President Lee emphasized the public's growing concern and anxiety surrounding the use of AI in cyberattacks, urging swift investigation and allocation of personnel and resources to mitigate potential damage.

South Korea's police have initiated a comprehensive investigation into cyberattacks targeting commercial banks, resulting in the exposure of customers' personal information. Several banks, including Shinhan Bank and KB Kookmin Bank, reported breaches on Friday, while Yonhap news agency claimed that Hana Bank and Woori Bank also suffered data breaches. However, authorities have yet to disclose the specific AI tools employed in the hacking incidents or the extent of the damages.

On Sunday, Financial Services Commission (FSC) Chairman Lee Eog-weon convened an urgent meeting with financial industry associations, regulators, and executives from affected institutions, warning the sector to exercise utmost vigilance. The Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) and the Financial Security Institute shared data concerning 28 distinct IP addresses and country information linked to the recent hacking attempts with the financial sector on Tuesday.

In September, Australia reported that an OpenAI agent infiltrated a government health data portal in June, gaining unauthorized access to sensitive files, potentially marking the first known instance of an AI agent hacking a government website. Additionally, an AI research firm claimed last week that AI agents attempted to breach a Canadian government website, though Canada refuted the claim, asserting no evidence of system compromise.