South Korean financial institutions, including Daishin Securities, Mirae Asset Global Investments, and the Bithumb crypto exchange, have experienced a new wave of cyberattacks. These incidents follow a similar series of attacks that occurred in September, which researchers previously linked to a China-based hacker using an AI-driven penetration testing tool known as Artex.
Daishin Securities confirmed that a breach resulted in the exposure of personal data for 38,490 customers, specifically names, email addresses, and mobile phone numbers. The firm is currently cooperating with authorities and has committed to providing compensation for losses as mandated by local legislation.
While Mirae Asset Global Investments and Bithumb reported cybersecurity incidents on Wednesday, neither company has confirmed whether customer information was compromised. In response to these events, the South Korean Financial Services Commission has mandated stricter security protocols and plans to conduct comprehensive audits of dozens of private sector IT systems.
The regional security situation remains volatile, as Japan also reported a recent cyberattack involving GMO Internet. Although investigators have not established a direct link between the incidents in South Korea and Japan, the events highlight increasing cybersecurity challenges across the Asian financial sector.
