Data on 997 North Korean Defectors Targeted in Hack

library
crime | hacking | security

Nearly 1,000 North Koreans who defected to South Korea had personal data compromised by an unknown attacker.

A cyberattack by an unknown actor compromised personal information belonging to 997 North Koreans who defected to South Korea, Reuters reports.

The South Korean Unification Ministry disclosed the incident after hackers broke into the database of the Hana center, one of 25 institutes the ministry runs to help defectors with jobs, medical support, and other assistance they need to build their lives in South Korea. Actors reportedly added malware to emails sent from an internal address to infect a ministry machine.

The attack compromised names, birthdates, and addresses of nearly 1,000 people who defected from North Korea to South Korea. Officials did not say whether North Korea was responsible. Defectors affected in the attack are being notified, the ministry says.