Financial Security Agency Hacked, Financial Firm Employee Data Leaked... Customer Data Untouched

The Financial Security Agency (FSSec), a body under the Financial Services Commission tasked with monitoring financial sector hacking, was hit by an external cyberattack, resulting in the leak of hundreds of financial firm employees' personal data. However, customer information, including resident registration numbers, was confirmed to be unaffected.

According to financial authorities, the Financial Security Agency learned of the breach on the 10th, having detected abnormal external access at around 3 p.m. the previous day. It immediately blocked access to the affected system and reported the incident to the Financial Services Commission and the Korea Internet & Security Agency.

The target of the attack was the agency's information security continuous assessment website, which financial firms use to submit evaluation materials. The hacker reportedly changed IP addresses frequently while attempting the attack to appear as a legitimate user.

The leaked information identified so far consists of about 200 administrative forms, including samples of personal credit information consent agreements. Also included were some 300 pieces of personal data contained in those forms, such as names and dates of birth, and over 350 pieces of system user information, including masked names and mobile phone numbers. A Financial Security Agency official said, "The leaked data contained no security information such as financial firms' system architecture diagrams, nor sensitive customer data such as resident registration numbers or personal credit information." Most of the personal information appears to belong to employees in charge of continuous assessments at financial firms.

An authority official said that the hacking of the Financial Security Agency, which oversees and monitors hacking situations in the financial sector, is a matter that must be taken seriously in terms of credibility, and demanded thorough inspections and measures to prevent recurrence. An agency official also said, "We are taking this incident very seriously," adding that the agency will focus on identifying the cause and preparing preventive measures.

The Financial Security Agency said it will notify affected financial firms of the leak and provide compensation in the event of secondary damage. The continuous assessment support system website has been temporarily taken offline as the server undergoes a service overhaul. The incident shows that even the agency on the front lines of financial security can fall victim to hacking, and security checks across the financial sector are expected to be strengthened.