[Beyond the Scene] Hacking Incidents: The Repeated Absence of a Control Tower | #hacking | #cybersecurity | #infosec | #comptia | #pentest | #hacker

No Government-Wide Comprehensive Response Body in Place

“Do you know what I fear most? It’s the sense of helplessness that nothing can be done anymore.”

A South Korean white-hat hacker interviewed recently voiced this concern when asked how to address the reality of personal information being compromised across the country, from telecommunications companies and online video services (OTT) to banks. Even the financial sector, once thought to be the last line of defense, has become prey for hackers. Security vulnerabilities are being exposed helplessly across society, from public enterprises and universities to large churches, and personal data breaches are growing out of control. Individuals who were outraged by last year’s data breaches at domestic telecommunications companies and Coupang are now left stunned by one incident after another, before the trauma of those breaches has even faded. Some have even given up, saying, “My personal information has been public property for a long time.”

The white-hat hacker expressed frustration with the repetitive, hamster-wheel-like responses to hacking incidents. Criticism continues whenever a major personal data breach occurs that the government lacks a control tower for responding to cyber incidents, but no improvements are made. Incident response systems are divided among different agencies, and with no comprehensive, government-wide response body, responses are neither swift nor systematic.

Lawmakers also voiced strong criticism at the Ministry of Science and ICT’s parliamentary audit by the National Assembly’s Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee on October 6. Rep. Choi Hyung-du of the People Power Party said, in connection with the financial sector hacks, “This is not just a matter for the Financial Services Commission or the Financial Supervisory Service,” adding, “Hacking incidents are fundamentally the responsibility of the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA) under the government’s system.” He criticized the reality of responses being handled according to which agency has jurisdiction. Another white-hat hacker pointed out, “When a cyber incident occurs, quickly sharing information about the breach and working together on measures such as standardizing response manuals could limit further damage. But companies are reluctant to disclose that sensitive information has been leaked, while the government responds inconsistently through different ministries. As a result, numerous companies are left helpless against the same tactics.”

There are even chilling warnings that, with the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI), today’s hacking attacks are only the beginning. Facing a growing sense of crisis, the financial sector has belatedly moved to increase security investment and expand its professional workforce, while working to overhaul its security systems. KB Kookmin Bank plans to significantly increase its information security budget to more than KRW 100 billion next year, while Shinhan Bank plans to set its information security budget for next year at the highest level in the industry.

An amendment to the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection took effect on October 1, allowing on-site investigations based solely on signs of hacking, even without a company filing a report. Punitive financial penalties have also been strengthened. However, the industry is appealing that “punishment alone is not the answer.” The government should expand incentives so that small and medium-sized enterprises can voluntarily invest in security, and support efforts to systematize software lifecycle management to prevent security gaps. It should also promote bug bounty programs, as seen overseas, in which companies or institutions reward hackers who identify security vulnerabilities in their software, creating a culture where white-hat hackers acting in good faith can contribute. Above all, the government should bring together the capabilities of dispersed agencies and establish a control tower to coordinate their efforts and pursue fundamental improvements, so that the public does not feel helpless in the face of one hacking incident after another.

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