SKT Hack Sparks Security Concerns and Data Privacy Alarms
- Minseo Kim
- Jul 1
- 1 min read
July 1, 2025
Minseo Kim
A major cyberattack on SK Telecom (SKT) has triggered joint investigations by public and private agencies, raising alarms over national security and user data privacy. The attack, suspected to have originated from a Chinese state-sponsored group using the "Red Mansion" malware, reportedly compromised 23 servers. Sensitive user data such as names, birthdates, phone numbers, and even IMEI numbers was potentially leaked, increasing the risk of identity theft and financial fraud.
Investigators believe the breach began as early as June 2022 and may have affected nearly all of SKT’s 25 million subscribers. The attack appeared to be more than financially motivated, pointing to a sophisticated, politically driven attempt to extract high-value information.
Concerns have also emerged over the reliability of SKT’s USIM protection services. While the company is offering free USIM replacements, critics argue that such measures are insufficient, as changing SIMs does not undo the damage. SKT has promised full compensation to affected users who subscribed to their protection service.
Experts call for a nationwide overhaul of telecom cybersecurity infrastructure. They emphasize that individual telecoms alone cannot withstand state-level cyber threats, highlighting the urgent need for unified defense mechanisms across all Korean telecom operators.
