Website and apartment subscription system targeted

'Scope of leak still being assessed'

Incident reported to Financial Security Institute

Emergency access block imposed on website

The corporate identity logo of Mirae Asset Life Insurance [Provided by Mirae Asset Life Insurance]
The corporate identity logo of Mirae Asset Life Insurance [Provided by Mirae Asset Life Insurance]

Mirae Asset Life Insurance has suffered a cyberattack that resulted in the leak of customers' personal credit information — the first confirmed and reported case of a hacking-related data breach at an insurance company amid a string of recent cyberattacks on South Korea's financial sector.

The insurer said Monday it detected signs of a cyberattack on its website and apartment subscription system Sunday afternoon and immediately activated its incident response procedures. It blocked the attacking IP addresses as an emergency security measure and reported the incident to the Financial Security Institute.

A subsequent analysis conducted with an external cybersecurity firm revealed that some customer data had been leaked in the early hours of Sunday. The exact scope of the breach — including which customers were affected and what categories of information were exposed — is still being assessed. The company has blocked public access to its website to prevent further damage.

"As soon as the affected customers are identified, we will notify each of them individually and conduct a comprehensive review of our security systems to put measures in place to prevent a recurrence," a company official said.

Mirae Asset Life Insurance warned customers that the leaked data could be exploited for secondary crimes, including identity theft, smishing and phishing. The company urged customers not to respond to or click links in text messages, phone calls or emails from unverified sources, and to remain alert to smishing and voice phishing attempts by parties impersonating the insurer. Customers should particularly refuse any requests to enter personal or financial information, it said.

Customers who have suffered harm may contact the Mirae Asset Life Insurance customer center to file a report or inquire about remedies. Those who have incurred losses due to the data leak may pursue damages claims or statutory damages litigation, and disputes related to personal data breaches may be submitted to the Personal Information Dispute Mediation Committee.

In a notice posted on its website, the company said it "once again sincerely apologizes for the concern this incident has caused our customers," adding that all executives and employees "take this personal and credit information leak with the utmost gravity and will do everything in our power to protect customer information, minimize harm, and restore customer safety and trust." A company official said it would "work closely with relevant authorities to do its best to protect customer information and prevent further damage."


won@heraldcorp.com