Increasing number of hacking apps pretend to be Korea Consumer Agency, suspected to be 'organized distribution'

Customers of SK Telecom line up on May 20 outside a branch in Seoul to receive replacement SIM cards, after a large-scale data breach revealed in April is thought to have resulted in SIM-related data of over 20 million subscribers. (Yonhap)
Customers of SK Telecom line up on May 20 outside a branch in Seoul to receive replacement SIM cards, after a large-scale data breach revealed in April is thought to have resulted in SIM-related data of over 20 million subscribers. (Yonhap)

South Korea is seeing an increasing number of malicious mobile applications disguised as state or private consumer rights agencies, in the aftermath of a massive hacking attacks against SK Telecom.

Local cyber security company Everspin said Monday that its Fake Finder service that detects malicious apps has found a substantial increase in programs distributed under pretense of helping consumers, who were affected by the recent data breach made public on April 22.

Detections of fake apps falsely named the government-affiliated Korea Consumer Agency had been fluctuating to peak at just under 400 times in April, but the number spiked as high as 671 times between May 11 and May 18.

The fake apps used in voice phishing in which victims are told their devices have been hacked via phone and text message, and are encouraged to install the malicious applications as a remedy. The attacks involve fake apps, including one carrying the name of SK Shielders, a cybersecurity company that is part of the SK Group and controlled by the SK Telecom.

According to Everspin, four different malicious fake apps have been used to illegally obtain personal information, one of which was designed to intercept calls made to financial authorities and police.

"Apps similarly named to (actual companies and government agencies) have been consistently detected in the past, but the recent numbers clearly indicate an organized distribution riding on a certain social issue," the security company said.

IIn one of the largest consumer data breach cases in Korean history, SK Telecom's systems have been breached by yet-unidentified group of hackers since June of 2022. It is thought that 9.82 gigabytes of sensitive SIM-related data related to well over 20 million users have been stolen by the hackers.


minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com