Yoido Full Gospel Church said data on about 850,000 members may have been exposed. Oasis Security said attack records linked to two churches showed signs of AI tools.
Two South Korean megachurches are investigating suspected cyberattacks that may have exposed personal data of hundreds of thousands of congregants, Reuters reported from Seoul on Wednesday. Cybersecurity firm Oasis Security said it found data, attack records and account information on an overseas server linked to Yoido Full Gospel Church and Sarang Church.
Oasis said the records included signs that AI tools were used, including references to sub-agents and extensive reports that appeared automated. Yoido Full Gospel Church said initial analysis indicated data relating to 850,000 members may have been compromised.
The church said the data included names and dates of birth, with a smaller number of records containing changes to national identification numbers, addresses and telephone numbers. It said it was notifying affected members, blocking external access and changing server passwords.
Sarang Church, in Seoul's Seocho district, said it had formed an emergency task force, reported the suspected incident to authorities and was trying to determine what happened.
The report follows attacks on South Korean commercial banks. President Lee Jae Myung said on Tuesday that AI was believed to have been used in those bank hacks. Wednesday's church figures come from the churches and Oasis, not from a police charging document.
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- Yoido Full Gospel Church said it is notifying members whose data may have been compromised.
- Sarang Church said it reported the suspected incident to authorities.