Months-long hacking spree exposes 8.7 million Koreans

By

Hacked since February.

South Korea's second-largest wireless service provider KT Corp apologised on Sunday after the personal data of millions of mobile phone subscribers was hacked.

Months-long hacking spree exposes 8.7 million Koreans

It is the latest in a string of large-scale personal information hacking cases in one of the world's most wired countries.

Police said two computer programmers had been arrested for hacking personal data of about 8.7 million KT subscribers. KT claims a mobile service subscription membership of 16 million.

Police were also arrested, but did not detain, seven others suspected of having purchased and used the hacked KT data, which included names, resident registration numbers and phone numbers.

"We deeply apologise for worrying you," KT said in a statement.

The company said it had blocked any further illegal access to data. The hacking began in February.

The Next Web reported that the data was sold to telemarketers by two hackers, who had made $US880,000 by selling the information.

KT only contacted the Korean police on July 13 this month.

In November, more than 13 million subscribers of Nexon Korea Corp, a leading game developer, fell victim to a hacking attack.

Months before, the information of up to 35 million users of an internet portal and blogging site operated by SK Comms, the country's top mobile service provider, was attacked by hackers from China.

Got a news tip for our journalists? Share it with us anonymously here.
Tags:

Most Read Articles

Qantas facing 'significant' data theft after cyber attack

Qantas facing 'significant' data theft after cyber attack

Home Affairs officer accessed data on "friends and associates"

Home Affairs officer accessed data on "friends and associates"

Ex-student charged over Western Sydney University cyberattacks

Ex-student charged over Western Sydney University cyberattacks

International Criminal Court hit by cyber attack

International Criminal Court hit by cyber attack

Log In

  |  Forgot your password?