Kmcc concludes kt hacking probe, weighs new-subscriber ban in South Korea | #hacking | #cybersecurity | #infosec | #comptia | #pentest | #hacker

The Korea Media and Communications Commission has finished a fact-finding probe into allegations that KT concealed a hacking incident and misled users, and has begun follow-up procedures to decide on sanctions. If illegal conduct is confirmed, it is also considering banning the recruitment of new subscribers for up to three months.

Chairperson Kim Jong-cheol of the Korea Media and Communications Commission (KMCC) said at the National Assembly’s Science. ICT. Broadcasting. and Communications Committee audit on the 12th that the probe had concluded, in response to a question from People Power Party lawmaker Cho Kyung-tae, and explained that internal procedures are underway. The Korea Media and Communications Commission (KMCC) sent KT a corrective action plan in September and plans to decide on measures through committee deliberation and resolution.

The issue that day was whether KT promoted its service as safe to customers despite knowing indications of a breach. Cho said KT caused personal data leaks and unauthorized small-amount payment losses last year due to lax security management of femtocell, and, according to a government probe, deleted malware without reporting the infections. He also raised suspicions that reports were inconsistent with the facts during deletion of server logs and disposal of servers suspected of compromise.

Cho pointed out that, in this situation, KT’s announcement at a customer briefing in July last year that the “BPFdoor” malware was not found on its servers could constitute deceiving users.

The Chairperson acknowledged the possibility that this could amount to false explanations or notices and said that if a violation of prohibited acts under the Telecommunications Business Act is confirmed, a corrective order and a penalty surcharge can be imposed. On the ban on recruiting new subscribers, the Chairperson also said the commission would review it together after examining whether legal requirements are met.

According to probe results released by the Ministry of Science and ICT in December last year, the subscriber and device identification numbers and phone numbers of 22,227 KT users who connected to illegal femtocells were leaked. There were 368 victims of unauthorized small-amount payments, with about 243 million won in damages. Infections by 103 types of malware were confirmed on 94 servers. The government determined that KT’s lax security management constituted a breach of its contractual obligation to provide safe telecommunications services.