Two South Korean megachurches are investigating suspected cyberattacks that may have exposed the personal data of hundreds of thousands of congregants. Cybersecurity firm Oasis Security found evidence suggesting AI tools were used in the intrusions.
The potential use of AI in cyberattacks against religious institutions raises concerns about the evolving threat landscape and the vulnerability of sensitive personal data held by large organizations.
Two megachurches in South Korea, Yoido Full Gospel Church and Sarang Church, are investigating suspected cyberattacks that may have exposed the personal data of hundreds of thousands of congregants. Cybersecurity firm Oasis Security discovered data, attack records, and account information on an overseas server, with signs pointing to the use of AI tools during the intrusions. Yoido Full Gospel Church stated that an initial analysis indicated data relating to 850,000 members may have been compromised. The compromised information includes names and dates of birth, with a smaller subset containing changes to national identification numbers, addresses, and telephone numbers. The church is notifying affected members, blocking external access, and changing server passwords. Sarang Church, located in Seoul's Seocho district, has formed an emergency task force, reported the incident to relevant authorities, and is working to determine the extent of the breach and prevent further harm. These incidents follow recent hacking attacks against South Korean commercial banks that resulted in customer data breaches, with President Lee Jae Myung commenting that AI is believed to have been involved.
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