Cybercrime ring busted over AI-powered data theft targeting hospitals, businesses

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SEOUL, Oct. 26 (Yonhap) -- Police have busted a cybercrime ring that allegedly stole over 8 million pieces of personal information from dozens of businesses by using artificial intelligence (AI), officials said Monday.

Seven suspects allegedly stole 8.2 million pieces of personal data and other internal records from over 90 entities, including hospitals, private academies and businesses, until recently from September last year, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.

The group is suspected of using AI tools to hack 60 of the targets and attempting to extort some of them.

Of the targeted entities, 38 suffered losses, with the group demanding a combined 360 million won (US$272,000) from them.

Police said the group's 32-year-old ring leader was referred to the prosecution on Friday while he was under physical detention. The other suspects are facing further questioning.

The ringleader, a self-taught hacker, learned about hacking skills by working at a security company, where the suspect was in charge of mock hacking attacks.

Authorities have recently been on alert over cybercrime suspected of employing AI tools, including a series of high-profile attacks targeting local financial institutions.

This photo, provided by the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency on Oct. 26, 2026, shows a suspect (R) accused of hacking into businesses and stealing personal information by using generative artificial intelligence. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr (END)

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Cybercrime ring busted over AI-powered data theft targeting hospitals, businesses

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首尔，10 月 26 日（韩联社）——官员周一表示，警方捣毁了一个网络犯罪团伙，该团伙涉嫌利用人工智能 (AI) 从数十家企业窃取了超过 800 万条个人信息。

据首尔地方警察厅称，七名嫌疑人涉嫌从去年九月起，从包括医院、私立学校和企业在内的 90 多个实体窃取了 820 万份个人数据和其他内部记录。

该组织涉嫌使用人工智能工具入侵 60 个目标系统，并试图勒索其中一些目标。

在被针对的实体中，有 38 个遭受了损失，该组织向它们索要总计 3.6 亿韩元（27.2 万美元）的赔偿。

警方表示，该团伙32岁的头目已于周五被移交检方，目前已被警方拘留。其他嫌疑人将面临进一步讯问。

该团伙头目是一名自学成才的黑客，他曾在一家安全公司工作，负责模拟黑客攻击，并在此期间学习了黑客技术。

最近，当局对涉嫌使用人工智能工具的网络犯罪保持警惕，其中包括一系列针对当地金融机构的高调攻击。

这张照片由首尔地方警察厅于2026年10月26日提供，照片中一名嫌疑人（右）被控利用生成式人工智能入侵企业系统并窃取个人信息。（照片禁止出售）（韩联社）

yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr (完)

（导语）FSS负责人誓言加强网络安全，此前数据泄露事件发生

（新闻快讯）警方扩大调查小组，调查近期金融机构遭黑客攻击事件

（导语）监管机构称，近期针对韩国金融机构的黑客攻击背后有28个IP地址

报道称，一名讲中文的黑客可能与针对韩国银行的AI驱动攻击有关。

网络犯罪团伙因利用人工智能技术窃取医院和企业的数据而被捣毁