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Korea Herald
26-05-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Investigation into SK Telecom data breach expands to KT, LG Uplus: sources
A joint government-private investigation team looking into SK Telecom Co.'s recent large-scale data breach has extended its probe to the servers of two other major mobile carriers, KT Corp. and LG Uplus Corp., but found no signs they have been compromised, industry sources said Monday. Initially, the team had asked local telecommunications and platform companies to conduct their own cybersecurity inspections. However, the approach was revised last week amid growing concerns that hackers using BPFDoor malware variants may have also targeted other South Korean mobile carriers, according to the sources. Following the expanded investigation, no traces of hacking activity have yet been found on the servers of KT or LG Uplus, they added. In a media briefing last week, the investigation team revealed interim findings indicating that 25 malware variants had been discovered on 23 servers belonging to SK Telecom. These included 24 variants of the BPFDoor malware and one variant of WebCell. Two of the affected servers had been used as temporary storage for personal data, such as names, birthdates, phone numbers and email addresses, as well as international mobile equipment identity data. The IMEI is a unique identifier for each device on a network and could potentially be exploited in financial transactions. SK Telecom discovered the breach April 18. (Yonhap)
Korea Herald
26-05-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Major S. Korean firms spend annual average of W2.9b on cybersecurity
South Korea's major companies spent an average of 2.9 billion won ($2.1 million) per year on information protection, industry data showed Monday. According to data from the Korea Internet & Security Agency and other sources, 10 local companies each invested over 100 billion won in cybersecurity over the past three years. Samsung Electronics Co. topped the list, spending a total of 712.6 billion won from 2021-2023, followed by telecom giant KT Corp., which invested 327.4 billion won during the same period. SK Telecom Co., the country's largest mobile carrier that recently suffered a large-scale data breach, came in third with 251.5 billion won in spending. Other companies in the top 10 include Coupang Inc., SK hynix Inc., LG Uplus Corp., Samsung SDS Co., Woori Bank, Naver Corp. and LG Electronics Inc. In 2022, the South Korean government mandated that companies operating network infrastructure or generating over 300 billion won in annual sales disclose their cybersecurity investment. A total of 746 companies reported their spending on information protection for 2023, investing a combined 2.1 trillion won, up from 1.5 trillion won by 658 firms in 2021. The average annual spending per company increased 24.5 percent from 2.3 billion won in 2021 to 2.9 billion won in 2023. However, experts warn that many South Korean firms remain highly vulnerable to cyberattacks due to relatively weak security capabilities. "In terms of investment, most companies in Korea have far lower security capabilities than SK Telecom, which was the latest victim of a cyberattack," one industry insider said. "Many are more vulnerable to advanced hacking techniques, and some may have already been breached without even knowing it. Companies need to stay alert and undergo thorough security checks." (Yonhap)
Korea Herald
04-05-2025
- Korea Herald
What SK Telecom USIM leak means for you
SK Telecom, South Korea's largest telecommunications provider, confirmed last week that its internal systems were breached in a hacking attack, raising concerns over a possible data leak involving universal subscriber identity module (USIM) cards. As public anxiety continues to grow, the company has rolled out a three-tier protection plan that includes an upgraded fraud detection system, its existing USIM protection service and free USIM card replacements upon request. Since the free replacement program began Monday, approximately 705,000 users — just 2.8 percent of SK Telecom's subscriber base — have replaced their USIM cards, with progress reportedly slowed by limited inventory. Despite these protective measures, customer trust appears to be eroding. On Tuesday alone, 35,902 subscribers switched to rival carriers, following 34,132 the previous day. About 60 percent moved to KT Corp., with most of the rest opting for LG Uplus. To help consumers better understand the situation, The Korea Herald answers key questions surrounding the recent USIM data leak. Q. What is a USIM? A universal subscriber identity module is a smart card that stores subscriber information to authenticate users on mobile networks. It contains data such as the subscriber's phone number and international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI), but does not contain personal information like their name, resident registration number, or address. Q. What USIM information was leaked in the recent security incident? According to the Ministry of Science and ICT's preliminary findings on Tuesday, subscriber phone numbers and IMSI data were leaked. However, international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) numbers, the 15-digit serial numbers that uniquely identify a mobile device, like a smartphone or tablet, were not compromised. The ministry said that users subscribed to SK Telecom's USIM protection service are safeguarded from illegal USIM cloning and unauthorized use, commonly known as SIM swapping. Q. What protective measures is SK Telecom taking for customers? SK Telecom has implemented a three-layered protection system: an enhanced fraud detection system to block suspicious authentication attempts, a USIM protection service and free USIM card replacement upon request. Q. What is the fraud detection system? The FDS monitors real-time network activity and blocks abnormal authentication attempts. For instance, if a subscriber is located in Seoul but a login is attempted from Busan, the system identifies it as suspicious and denies access. SK Telecom has upgraded this system to its highest security level in response to the breach. Q. What is the USIM protection service? This service binds a USIM card to a specific mobile device, preventing it from being used if cloned and inserted into another device. Even if a USIM is illegally copied, it cannot function unless it is paired with the original device. Q. Do customers using the USIM protection service still need to replace their USIM cards? The USIM protection service offers equivalent security to USIM replacement. However, SK Telecom provides free USIM replacement for customers seeking additional protection. Users will need to reinstall any data stored on the USIM, such as digital certificates. Q. What is the newly proposed 'USIM formatting' method? The so-called 'USIM format' is a software-based method currently being developed by SK Telecom. It aims to provide the same security as replacing the physical USIM card but with less inconvenience. Instead of swapping hardware, the USIM's internal software will be reconfigured. While users still need to visit a service center, the process is expected to be quicker and more user-friendly. The service is planned for rollout in May. Q. Can financial assets be stolen using leaked USIM information? No. Even if a USIM is cloned using the leaked data, it cannot connect to SK Telecom's network without passing through security systems like the FDS. Furthermore, financial theft requires additional personal information, such as passwords or identity verification. No related financial crimes have been reported to date. Q. If a USIM is cloned, are contacts, messages or apps also copied? No. The leaked data only includes identification information stored on the USIM. Personal content such as contacts, messages and apps is not related to the incident. Q. Does setting a USIM PIN help in this case? A USIM PIN locks the USIM to prevent unauthorized use if physically stolen, but it is not directly related to the recent data leak. Q. Can someone use services like calls or texts on a cloned phone without the owner knowing? No. Only one line per phone number can access the network at any given time. SK Telecom's FDS and USIM protection service are designed to prevent unauthorized access. Customers are strongly encouraged to enroll in the USIM protection service. Q. Is the Pass app's identity theft protection enough to replace the USIM protection service? No. Personal smartphone authentication app Pass app prevents identity theft by blocking unauthorized phone account registrations using stolen personal data. It does not protect against USIM cloning. Therefore, the USIM protection service is still necessary.
