South Korea warns of AI-assisted hacking after breach of big banks' cyber defenses

According to Yahoo News, citing The Wall Street Journal, South Korea's National Police Agency opened an investigation into cyberattacks that used a Chinese-developed AI tool[2]. The tool breached at least seven South Korean financial firms and stole personal data belonging to 68,000 people[2], the report said.Yahoo reports that investigators found signs of Artex AI, a tool built by Li Puhua, a Chinese cybersecurity engineer[2], which he designed to help organizations find vulnerabilities in their own networks[2].Korea JoongAng Daily reports that the breaches exposed data on 25,727 customers at Shinhan Bank; 119 at KB Kookmin Bank; and 89 at Hana Bank[3]. The paper says Yegaram Savings Bank had already disclosed a breach affecting about 40,000 customers[3].The same outlet says Shinhan Bank took 15 hours and 26 minutes to detect its breach, Hana Bank took 41 hours and 44 minutes and KB Kookmin Bank needed 67 hours and 41 minutes.[3]Financial Services Commission Chairman Lee Eog-weon told an emergency meeting, "We cannot rule out the possibility that AI was used in the attacks,"[3] Korea JoongAng Daily reports.According to Yahoo, President Lee Jae Myung told a cabinet meeting "Speed is of the essence,"[2] and the outlet reports that South Korean cybersecurity stocks jumped by as much as 30%[2].Cryptopolitan reports that CrowdStrike has not attributed the activity to any named adversary[4]. CrowdStrike assesses with moderate confidence that the operator is likely a Chinese-speaking, financially motivated actor[4], according to the outlet.