비전공자가 AI로 개인정보 820만건 해킹…“인공지능이 사이버테러 문턱 낮춰”

A non-majored individual employed artificial intelligence to breach 90 domestic companies and steal personal data of 8.2 million individuals, later demanding money in return. The mastermind of the operation, a cybersecurity intern with no background in information technology, was apprehended by the police. The investigation revealed that the individual had used AI technology to target multiple companies en masse, marking a significant shift in the landscape of cybercrime.

The individual was arrested on suspicion of violating the Information and Communications Network Security Act and engaging in organized cyber theft, alongside six accomplices. The accused targeted various entities between September last year and February, including banks, hospitals, golf clubs, universities, and large corporations.

They stole personal and internal data from these organizations, demanding a total of 3.6 billion won from 38 companies for the information breach. Only one company complied with the demand, paying 30 million won. The individual, having previously worked on hack jobs in a security company, began utilizing AI in October of the current year to carry out large-scale attacks.

The police have identified one company that paid the demanded ransom, but the remaining 75 companies are still under investigation. The police are also tracking the criminal gains of the group. This incident marks the first time AI has been used to identify a large-scale cybercrime, and the police have stated that they will be expanding the use of AI technology in investigations to combat increasingly sophisticated cybercriminals.