{
  "id": 18254458,
  "title": "Most gov't agencies deny using VirusTotal, deepening questions over presidential data leak",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/05/most-govt-agencies-deny-using-virustotal-deepening-questions-over",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-05T05:32:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/politics/20261105/most-govt-agencies-deny-using-virustotal-deepening-questions-over-presidential-data-leak"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Government agencies have all denied utilizing VirusTotal, the malware analysis platform where the personal data of President Lee Jae Myung's family was disclosed for around five months, intensifying inquiries into the origin of the data breach. The subscription-based platform stored the confidential details of 168 individuals on President Lee Jae Myung's aircraft during his European excursion in June. This list encompassed not only the president and first lady but also high-ranking staff, such as then-Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Kim Yong-beom, National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac, the current Prime Minister Han Seong-sook, as well as numerous Cabinet members, senior officials from Cheong Wa Dae and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, security personnel, and journalists accompanying the presidential entourage.\n\nVirusTotal, a web service operated by Google, simultaneously scans uploaded files and URLs using over 70 antivirus engines and security tools. When users submit files through its public interface, they are shared with collaborating security vendors, making the information accessible to organizations that subscribe to the service.",
  "summary": "Most government agencies told The Korea Times they do not use VirusTotal, the malware analysis platform where the personal information of the first couple was exposed for about five months, deepening questions over how the leak occurred. The paid platform had hosted sensitive personal information of 168 people aboard the presidential jet during President Lee Jae Myung’s trip to Europe in June.…",
  "key_points": [
    "All government agencies deny using VirusTotal.",
    "VirusTotal stored 168 individuals' data from President Lee Jae Myung's European trip.",
    "Leak deepens questions about data breach origin."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The widespread denials from government agencies complicate the investigation into how sensitive presidential entourage information was exposed to third-party security vendors through a public malware analysis platform.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}