South Korea Says AI Was Used in Recent Bank Hacks

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung indicated that artificial intelligence models may have been employed in several recent cyberattacks targeting the nation's banks, urging the implementation of new cybersecurity measures appropriate for the AI era. During a cabinet meeting, Lee highlighted signs of AI usage in certain hacking incidents and urged authorities to swiftly ascertain the extent of the damage and allocate personnel and resources to the investigation.

Major banks were among the targeted institutions, with South Korean police initiating a comprehensive investigation into cyberattacks that exposed customer information. Notable banks affected included Shinhan Bank, KB Kookmin Bank, Hana Bank, and Woori Bank. Regulators and local reports revealed that Hana Bank had disclosed personal data belonging to 89 customers, encompassing names, identification numbers, and phone numbers, though financial information remained uncompromised.

Authorities disclosed 28 IP addresses associated with the attacks, located across 12 countries, including the United States and Japan, warning that these locations might not accurately pinpoint the attackers' actual location due to the potential misuse of IP addresses for concealment. Additionally, the Financial Services Commission convened an emergency meeting with regulators, financial industry groups, and executives from the affected institutions, emphasizing the need for heightened vigilance in maintaining robust cybersecurity protocols.

Despite the ongoing investigation, authorities have not publicly identified the specific AI systems used or elucidated the precise methods employed in the attacks, emphasizing the necessity for cybersecurity frameworks capable of addressing the evolving landscape where AI can be utilized by attackers.