Is SK Telecom's Response Adequate for the Recent Data Leak?

Seoul, April 27 (NationPress) Acting President Han Duck-soo directed the government on Sunday to evaluate the effectiveness of SK Telecom Co.'s measures in response to a significant potential leak of universal subscriber identity module (USIM) data.

On April 18, SK Telecom identified indications of a substantial breach involving customers' USIM data due to a cyberattack, leading the company to announce last week its plan to replace the USIMs of all 23 million users at no cost, according to reports from Yonhap news agency.

Han directed the Ministry of Science and ICT to conduct a thorough examination of the company's response strategies, which include advising users to enroll in a USIM protection service, as stated by his office.

Furthermore, he urged the government to meticulously investigate the root cause of the breach, while instructing the National Intelligence Service and other relevant bodies to evaluate the national data protection framework against cyber threats.

SK Telecom announced that it will provide free USIM replacements upon request to its 23 million subscribers, an initiative projected to cost the company 177.1 billion won (approximately US$122.9 million).

ICT Minister Yoo Sang-im mentioned on Thursday that a combined civilian and government investigation into the data breach is currently in progress and is anticipated to last about one to two months.

On Sunday, SK Telecom pledged to accept full responsibility for any harm inflicted on customers due to the recent network hacking event that led to the possible exposure of subscriber information.

Earlier this month, the telecommunications provider noted signs of a massive leak of customers' USIM data as a result of a cyberattack and offered complimentary replacement of USIMs to all 23 million users.

"You can avert hacking damage by enrolling in our USIM protection service. Please place your trust in us and sign up," the company stated in a release. "If any damage occurs, SK Telecom will assume full responsibility."

As of 6 PM, 5.54 million individuals had opted for the service, representing 24 percent of the carrier's total subscribers.

The company highlighted that this service is as effective in preventing harm as replacing the USIM itself.

The complimentary replacement service will commence on Monday, and the company has requested customers to make online reservations to minimize inconvenience.

Acting President Han Duck-soo tasked officials with assessing whether the company's response was suitable and scrutinizing the national data protection system against cyber threats.

A collaborative civilian-government investigation into the data breach is currently underway and is expected to take approximately one to two months, officials stated.