SK Telecom Suffers Damaging Data Breach

South Korean authorities have launched an investigation into a cyberattack on SK Telecom (SKT) that compromised customers’ SIM-related data, Informa TechTarget reported.

SKT added that it is conducting a full investigation of its systems. I Photo: SK Telecom

The Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) said it has deployed a team of experts to SKT to provide technical support, determine the cause of the breach, and mitigate further damage.

“Considering the seriousness of the incident, including the leak of personal information, the damage status, and security vulnerabilities, the MSIT formed an emergency response team headed by the Cyber Security and Network Policy Bureau,” the ministry said.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police’s Cyber Investigation Unit is also investigating, according to Chosun Biz. The attack occurred over the weekend and involved malware that exposed some SIM-related information.

“SK Telecom immediately deleted the malware after recognizing the potential for a data leak, and also isolated the suspected hacking device. As of now, there have been no confirmed cases of the information being exploited,” the company said.

SKT added that it is conducting a full investigation of its systems, increasing efforts to block illegal SIM swaps and abnormal authentication attempts, and locking accounts that show signs of suspicious activity.