AI tools suspected in cyberattacks breaching seven South Korean financial firms
South Korean authorities and financial regulators are investigating cyberattacks across seven financial firms, where hackers reportedly used Chinese open-source artificial intelligence tools to expose customer data.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung warned that artificial intelligence appears to have been used in cyberattacks targeting seven financial firms over the past week, exposing customer data and prompting emergency security measures. According to The Wall Street Journal, hackers deployed a Chinese AI agent against the country's major banks in what it described as one of the first AI-powered intrusions into the global financial system.[1][2][3][5][7][8]
The intrusions bypassed secondary entry points rather than central payment infrastructure. In one incident, an attacker skirted identity checks on a loan broker portal to access records for roughly 25,000 Shinhan Bank customers, while smaller leaks affected KB Kookmin Bank and Hana Bank. Quartz reported that the attacks used ArtexAI, an open-source, Chinese-built vulnerability detection platform, which operated with almost no human intervention and exposed data on 68,000 individuals across seven lenders.[3][4][6]
No stolen funds have been reported. Investigators noted matching IP addresses indicating that a single attacker may be responsible for multiple breaches, and a local security expert assessed that a Chinese-language AI tool was likely leveraged to spot systemic weaknesses. While police conduct investigations and the government maintains a 24/7 emergency response, South Korea's financial regulator plans to counter AI threats with AI-driven defenses.[3][5]
Key facts
- South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said customer data was exposed at seven financial firms over the past week, with signs that AI was used in some attacks.
- The Wall Street Journal reported that hackers used a Chinese AI agent against South Korea's biggest banks, describing it as one of the first AI-powered intrusions into the global financial system.
- Quartz reported that ArtexAI, an open-source Chinese-built AI tool designed to detect security flaws, exposed data on 68,000 people across seven banks with almost no human intervention.
- Hackers targeted weaker side doors rather than core payment systems, including a loan broker portal where details of about 25,000 Shinhan Bank customers were exposed.
- Tens of thousands of additional customers were impacted at smaller lenders, alongside smaller data leaks at KB Kookmin Bank and Hana Bank.
- Matching IP addresses suggest a single attacker may be behind at least some of the intrusions, but no money has been reported stolen.
- South Korea's financial regulator intends to implement AI-based defenses to counter AI cyberattacks as the government runs an around-the-clock emergency response.
Sources · 7 sources
- TS
The Straits Times@straits_timesPost on X ·
South Korea's Lee says AI appears to have been used in bank hacks https://t.co/xS9d5zp74d
Open source - FT
Financial Times@FTPost on X ·
AI models used in bank cyber attacks, warns South Korea’s president https://t.co/Dd3QG38ntI
Open source - MN
Mario Nawfal@MarioNawfalPost on X ·
🇰🇷 South Korea's president says hackers used AI to break into banks, and it's got the whole country on edge. Lee Jae Myung said today that customer data was exposed at 7 financial firms over the past week, with signs of AI being used in some of the attacks. The hackers went after weaker side doors rather than the banks' main payment systems. In one case, an attacker got past identity checks on a portal used by loan brokers and exposed details of about 25,000 Shinhan Bank customers. Tens of thousands more were hit at smaller lenders, and big names like KB Kookmin and Hana Bank had smaller leaks. Matching IP addresses suggest a single attacker could be behind at least some of it. A local security expert says a Chinese-language, open-source AI hacking tool was likely used to find the weak spots. No money has been reported stolen, but police are investigating and the government is running a 24/7 emergency response. South Korea's financial regulator wants to fight AI attacks with AI. So going forward it's going to be robots guarding the vault from robots… Source: FT / Writer: Julie
Open source - QU
Quartz@qzPost on X ·
An open-source AI tool just helped breach 7 South Korean banks A Chinese-built AI platform designed to find security vulnerabilities was turned against South Korean lenders, exposing data on 68,000 people — and it required almost no hu #ArtexAI #SouthKoreaCyberattack #AIHacking https://t.co/SI4tJHUQLo
Open source - TK
The Korea Herald 코리아헤럴드@TheKoreaHeraldPost on X ·
A wave of cyberattacks has exposed personal data at seven South Korean financial firms, prompting emergency security measures as regulators investigate whether a single attacker used artificial intelligence to breach their defenses. https://t.co/M0rwoFyp9h https://t.co/SPSpP94A2J
Open source - TH
Tom's Hardware@tomshardwarePost on X ·
Hackers suspected of using AI agents for cyberattacks on South Korean banks, exposing data from about 25,000 customers https://t.co/oRt2FymcKL
Open source - TW
The Wall Street Journal@WSJPost on X ·
Hackers used a Chinese AI agent to attack South Korea’s biggest banks—one of the first such AI-powered intrusions into the global financial system https://t.co/9nRHXjXdGc
Open source - TW
The Wall Street Journal@WSJPost on X ·
Hackers used a Chinese AI agent to attack South Korea’s biggest banks—one of the first such AI-powered intrusions into the global financial system https://t.co/2wc78Lyz6F
Open source