South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said this week that authorities are investigating a string of recent bank breaches that officials believe were likely carried out with artificial intelligence agents. The Record reports the incidents, which came to light on September 30, hit at least seven financial institutions, including Hana Bank, KB Kookmin Bank and Shinhan Bank. Officials believe a Chinese cybersecurity tool called Artex AI was used. The Record describes the cases as the first known example of AI agents hacking the financial sector.
Shinhan Bank said personal data on roughly 25,000 customers was exposed: loan borrowing history, annual income, names and phone numbers. The Korea Herald, citing experts, says the bank does not appear to have been specifically targeted but was likely caught in random AI-driven attacks on vulnerable online platforms. South Korea’s Financial Supervisory Service has found 33 IP addresses used in the hacks, linked to at least 12 countries, and a 28-person investigative team has been formed. Shinhan says it blocked access from external IP addresses and suspended the affected services. Lee said “signs have emerged” that AI agents were used in at least some of the attacks, and that AI makes it possible to hack “with ease even without specialized skills.”
Exposed names, phone numbers and loan and income details are the kind of data that makes follow-up phishing calls and texts more convincing, so customers of the named banks should treat unexpected calls or messages about loans with suspicion. The Financial Supervisory Service says its investigation is expected to take months.