- Suspected cyberattacks on Yoido Full Gospel Church and Sarang Church have been discovered, potentially affecting hundreds of thousands of congregants.
- Oasis Security found attack records and account information on an overseas server linked to the two churches, with signs that AI tools may have been used.
- Yoido Full Gospel Church said an initial analysis revealed that data tied to 850,000 members may have been compromised, including names, dates of birth, and some national identification numbers, addresses, and telephone numbers.
- The church began notifying affected members, blocked external access, and changed its server passwords.
- Sarang Church formed an emergency task force, reported the breach to authorities, and is taking steps to determine what happened and prevent future incidents.
- South Korean President Lee Jae Myung stated that signs had emerged of AI being used in recent hacking incidents involving banks.
- The suspected cyber intrusions come after recent hacks targeting South Korean commercial banks resulted in breaches of customers' personal information.
- Oasis Security pointed to references to "sub-agents" and extensive attack reports that appeared to have been generated automatically.
- Oasis Security said attackers exploited a flaw in the church's membership system that could have allowed access to data linked to up to 89,580 registered user accounts.
South Korean megachurches Yoido Full Gospel Church and Sarang Church are probing suspected cyberattacks that may have exposed the personal data of 850,000 members. Cybersecurity firm Oasis Security discovered attack records on an overseas server, indicating that AI tools might have been utilized in the breaches.123412
The attacks could potentially affect hundreds of thousands of congregants, with the Yoido Full Gospel Church reporting that the compromised data includes names, dates of birth, and a smaller number of records containing national identification numbers, addresses, and telephone numbers. The church is actively notifying affected members and has taken measures to secure its systems by blocking external access and changing server passwords.7
Sarang Church has also formed an emergency task force and reported the incident to authorities, taking steps to investigate the breach and prevent future occurrences. The suspected cyber intrusions follow a series of recent hacks targeting South Korean commercial banks, raising concerns about the use of AI in cyberattacks. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung noted that signs of AI involvement have emerged in these hacking incidents.891011
Oasis Security revealed that attackers exploited a flaw in the church's membership system, potentially allowing access to data linked to up to 89,580 registered user accounts. The investigation continues as both churches work to safeguard their congregants' information.13
“Oasis Security found attack records on an overseas server, including references to "sub-agents" and automated reports, suggesting AI tools were used. Yoido Full Gospel Church blocked external access and changed server passwords, while Sarang Church formed an emergency task force and reported the breach to authorities.”
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