Shinhan, Kookmin, Hana data breaches fuel concerns over AI-powered cyberattacks in financial sector

A series of data breaches at Shinhan Bank, KB Kookmin Bank and Hana Bank, three of Korea’s largest commercial banks, has heightened concerns in the financial sector over increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks using artificial intelligence (AI). On Friday, KB Kookmin Bank said that personal information belonging to 119 customers was leaked after abnormal external access to a mobile system used by employees. The leaked information varied by customer and included names, phone numbers, addresses and resident registration numbers in encrypted format. "We have activated an emergency response system across the company, including a thorough review of all our processes to prevent further damage and recurrence," a Kookmin Bank official said. Later that day, Hana Bank said personal information belonging to 89 customers had been exposed following an external hacking agent’s attempt to gain unauthorized access to its sales support system. The leaked information included customers' resident registration numbers, names, addresses, email addresses, phone numbers and workplace information. The lende