South Korea says AI used in hacking some banks

SEOUL, Oct 6 (Reuters) - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said on Tuesday that AI models are believed to have been used in some recent hacking incidents against banks and called for the country to develop cybersecurity methods suited to the AI era.

"In some hacking incidents, signs have emerged of AI being used, causing considerable public concern and anxiety," Lee said during a cabinet meeting. "Please establish the circumstances swiftly and clearly, and concentrate personnel and resources on minimising the damage."

South Korea's police have launched a full-scale investigation into the hacking attacks against commercial banks that led to a breach of customers' personal information, the Yonhap news agency reported on Tuesday.

Shinhan Bank, KB Kookmin Bank and others had reported cyberattacks, the Financial Services Commission (FSC) said on Friday, while Yonhap reported that Hana Bank and Woori Bank had also suffered breaches.

Authorities have not yet disclosed details on what kind of AI tools were used in the hacking incidents or the full scale of the breaches.

On Sunday, FSC Chairman Lee Eog-weon convened an emergency meeting with financial industry associations, regulators and executives from affected institutions, warning that the sector must respond with the highest level of vigilance.

In September, Australia said an OpenAI agent breached a government health data portal in June, gaining unauthorised access to files, in what could be the ‌first known instance of an AI agent hacking a government website.

An artificial intelligence research firm said last week that AI agents tried to hack into a Canadian government website, casting the effort as a failed hacking attempt, while Canada said there were ​no indications its systems were compromised.

- Joyce Lee; Editing by Ed Davies/Reuters