Lawmakers Urge SK Group's Chey to Testify at National Assembly Regarding SK Telecom Data Leak
Insights: The Sk Telecom data breach investigation is unfolding with various developments, both in the technical response and official inquiries. The company is offering free SIM card replacements for all its 25 million subscribers, but a shortage of replacements limits them to 6 million cards through May 2025. Over 70,000 users have already switched to competitors, indicating severe consumer distrust.
The Ministry of Science and ICT confirmed that IMEI numbers were not compromised, but reports suggest China-backed hackers might have exploited Ivanti VPN vulnerabilities. The hackers infiltrated a network that was physically isolated and closed off, according to SKT VP Ryu Jeong-hwan.
There are concerns about fraudulent authentication, and the police cyber unit has launched a full criminal investigation, forming a 22-member task force. Authorities are collaborating with international partners to trace the attack's origin.
SK Telecom CEO Ryu Young-sang stated it will take at least three months to replace all SIM cards, calling this the "worst hacking incident in telecom history." Financial regulators have also tightened security protocols to prevent spillover into banking systems.
Rewritten Article:
Ryu Young-sang, CEO of Sk Telecom, faced questions from lawmakers at a meeting held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on April 30.
Here's the latest scoop on the Sk Telecom data breach investigation. Sk Telecom is offering free SIM card replacements to its 25 million subscribers due to the breach. However, the company can only replace 6 million cards through May 2025, given the current inventory shortage. Interestingly, over 70,000 users have already switched to rival companies, KT and LG Uplus, in just two days of the announcement, showing a significant loss of customer trust.
Initial findings of the Ministry of Science and ICT showed that IMEI numbers were not compromised. However, reports suggest Chinese-backed hackers might have exploited Ivanti VPN vulnerabilities. The hackers managed to infiltrate a network that was physically isolated and closed off, according to SKT VP Ryu Jeong-hwan.
There are concerns about fraudulent authentication, and the police cyber unit has launched a full criminal investigation, forming a 22-member task force to analyze malware use and breach methods. Authorities are teaming up with international partners to track the attack's origin.
Sk Telecom CEO, Ryu Young-sang, predicted that replacing all SIM cards would take at least three months, calling this the "worst hacking incident in telecom history." Financial regulators have beefed up their security protocols to prevent any banking system spillovers.
- Sk Telecom's CEO, Ryu Young-sang, attended a question-and-answer session at the National Assembly in Seoul, where he faced queries about the ongoing data breach investigation that affect their 25 million subscribers.
- As a response to the breach, Sk Telecom is providing free SIM card replacements despite a limited supply of only 6 million cards available until May 2025 due to inventory shortage.
- Amidst these developments, more than 70,000 users have switched to competitors, KT and LG Uplus, within two days of the announcement, demonstrating a widespread loss of consumer trust.
- The Ministry of Science and ICT has confirmed that IMEI numbers remained secure, yet reports indicate potential exploitation of Ivanti VPN vulnerabilities by China-backed hackers.
- It is alleged that the hackers infiltrated a network that was designed to be physically isolated and closed off, according to SKT VP Ryu Jeong-hwan.
- With concerns about fraudulent authentication matters arising, the police cyber unit has intensified its investigation, assembling a 22-member international task force to examine malware usage and breach strategies.
