Ministry detected and blocked 3,994 attacks through July this year

AI-based reviews and Defense Ministry network link raise fears over military data leaks

The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs building (Building 9) at Government Complex Sejong in Sejong. [Yonhap]
The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs building (Building 9) at Government Complex Sejong in Sejong. [Yonhap]

Attempted cyberattacks targeting the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs have reached 3,994 cases through July this year, raising alarms over the protection of sensitive personal data as the government moves to introduce AI-based benefit reviews and link its systems with the Ministry of National Defense.

The figures were disclosed Thursday by People Power Party Rep. Yoo Yong-won, a member of the National Assembly's National Defense Committee, based on data submitted by the ministry. The 3,994 attacks detected and blocked in the first seven months of this year have already more than doubled the 1,627 recorded for all of last year.

By attack type, attempts classified as "information exfiltration" were the most common at 1,645 cases, followed by "system privilege escalation" at 854, "information gathering" at 639, "website defacement" at 465 and "unauthorized access attempts" at 202.

"Information exfiltration" refers to the classification of the attack attempt and does not mean data was actually stolen. The ministry said in its submission that there have been zero security breaches from 2021 through July this year, with no confirmed data leaks or system disruptions. However, the sharp rise in attack attempts is seen as a persistent risk that could translate into actual data theft at any time.

Amid this, the government is pushing ahead with an AI-based review system that draws on accumulated veterans benefit data. The ministry has outlined plans to use AI to assist with document searches and draft review submissions, and to provide integrated support — from treatment to veterans registration — by linking its network with the Defense Ministry.

The plans have prompted calls for careful management of service-related information belonging to applicants with military backgrounds. Particularly, if review materials include the unit affiliations or mission details of personnel who served in special operations, intelligence or counterintelligence roles, the data would require protection not just as personal information but as a matter of military security. There are also concerns that combining multiple data points could create clues allowing sensitive service histories to be reconstructed.

"As we work to make the veterans review process more convenient and efficient, we also need to examine the scope of sensitive data being processed, who has access to it, and what safeguards are in place," Yoo said. "A thorough information security and response framework must be established proactively."

A breakdown of cyberattack attempts targeting the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs by type and country or region of origin, by year. [Provided by Rep. Yoo Yong-won's office]
A breakdown of cyberattack attempts targeting the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs by type and country or region of origin, by year. [Provided by Rep. Yoo Yong-won's office]

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