SKT Core Infrastructure Hacked… YouTuber Techmong Says "Unimaginable Situation"
As SK Telecom's core infrastructure, including the USIM information server, has been compromised, IT specialist YouTuber Techmong, who has 880,000 subscribers, expressed strong concerns, calling it a "huge incident."
On the 27th, Techmong posted a video titled "Just Change the USIM? The Real Seriousness of the SKT Hack" on his YouTube channel, detailing the severity of the incident.
"This is on a different level from having names and phone numbers leaked"
At the beginning of the video, Techmong stated, "This hacking incident cannot even be compared to the personal data leaks we have seen so far." He emphasized, "In previous hacking cases, only names, phone numbers, national identification numbers, or website IDs and passwords were leaked, but this SKT incident is on a different level."
He continued, "Previously leaked personal data was usually sold on the dark web or used for voice phishing scams. However, this time, there is a possibility that critical data such as the IMSI (International Mobile Subscriber Identity) and the USIM authentication key, which are essential for payments and identity verification, may have been compromised."
Techmong further explained, "The most commonly used authentication method for sign-ups, ID retrieval, and payments is 'carrier-phone number input followed by receiving an authentication number,' and this process is directly connected to the hacked HSS (Home Subscriber Server)."
"If IMSI and USIM authentication keys are leaked, there’s a risk of direct financial harm"
Techmong warned, "If the IMSI value and USIM authentication key fell into the hands of hackers, it would be a massive incident where victims could suffer direct financial losses."
He added, "If the IMSI or USIM authentication values are hacked, hackers would no longer need to resort to voice phishing. They could directly withdraw money from victims' accounts or conduct high-value purchases and various subscriptions without the victims' knowledge."
He pointed out, "It’s a different risk level if a thief only has your home address versus having the door lock password. If the IMSI and authentication keys are leaked, hackers could carry out unprecedented attacks targeting individuals and companies by combining them with previously leaked personal data."
Techmong said, "I myself find it hard to believe this incident is real," mentioning that there has never been a case of authentication keys being compromised before and that he is not completely convinced even now. However, he cynically added that "the government will likely impose a fine on SKT soon, but the amount will, as always, be small, and that money won't go back to the customers."
"Immediate USIM Replacement and Carrier Change is the Best Solution"
Techmong recommended that SKT users should apply for 'USIM protection services' as an immediate measure. However, he cautioned that "hackers could potentially undermine the USIM protection service with the leaked information," stating that "the most realistically safe method is to replace the USIM or completely change carriers."
He also criticized SKT's response, pointing out, "It is presumed that the server was hacked on April 18, but free USIM replacement is said to start from April 28. During those ten days, users received no protection at all."
He particularly noted, "It’s chaos that new users are still being accepted while existing users cannot even change their USIM due to a lack of available USIMs," sharply criticizing SKT's inadequate response.
Image Source: youtube '테크몽 techmong', Photo: SK Telecom, News1
