AI Suspected In Korean Bank Cyberattacks

South Korean authorities are investigating whether artificial intelligence was used in a series of cyberattacks against banks and financial institutions, raising fresh concerns over how quickly automated tools are changing the nature of cyber risk.

President Lee Jae Myung said AI appeared to have played a role in some of the attacks and called for cybersecurity systems capable of responding to more advanced threats. Police have opened a full investigation, while financial regulators have ordered institutions to strengthen monitoring and review exposed infrastructure.

Several major banks were affected. Shinhan Bank said personal information belonging to about 25,000 customers was leaked, while Hana Bank reported a smaller breach involving 89 customers. KB Kookmin Bank was also targeted, although unauthorised access was blocked before customer information was exposed.

Investigators have traced activity to internet addresses across several countries and identified signs that an autonomous penetration-testing tool may have been used. Regulators have not reported the theft of payment credentials or other information that would directly enable fraudulent transactions, but compromised personal data could still be used in phishing, impersonation and social-engineering attacks.

The Financial Services Commission and Financial Supervisory Service have launched an emergency response, including a month-long period of heightened monitoring. Banks, insurers, brokerages and card companies have been instructed to identify internet-facing systems, address vulnerabilities and strengthen authentication controls.

The investigation is also widening the debate around AI-enabled cybercrime. Financial institutions have long invested heavily in digital security, but increasingly automated attacks could operate faster, probe more systems and adapt more quickly than conventional methods. South Korean regulators are now assessing whether existing controls are sufficient for that shift.