"Will it be accessible today?"… Yes24 service down for the third day

The online bookstore Yes24, which has been targeted by a hacking attack, has remained non-functional for three consecutive days.

On the 10th, Yes24 issued a statement stating, "We sincerely apologize for the significant inconvenience and concern caused by the access errors affecting all Yes24 services (books, tickets, eBooks, electronic library, etc.)."

It continued, "The access error occurred due to a ransomware-related disruption around 4 AM on the 9th," adding, "Immediately after the incident, we enacted security measures and reported it to the Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA) and relevant authorities, while making every effort to analyze the cause of the incident and assess the extent of the damage."

The statement confirmed, "As a result of the investigation, we have verified that there has been no leakage or loss of any of our members' personal information, and all data, including order information, is being retained normally."

Furthermore, it noted, "We expect services will resume shortly. We are preparing compensation plans for customers and stakeholders affected by the access issues, and we will provide detailed compensation plans based on the extent of the damage in a general notice and individual notifications along with the normalization of service access."

The cause of the service disruption has been identified as a ransomware attack by hackers. It is reported that the hackers have encrypted some files on the Yes24 server and are demanding a monetary payment.

As a result of this service disruption at Yes24, the entire cultural sector is facing difficulties. Currently, users are unable to place book orders or check deliveries, and they are unable to inquire about tickets for various performances.

The offline fan signing event application for the idol group ENHYPEN has been canceled, and the advance booking schedules for singer BI's fan meeting and actor Park Bo-gum's fan meeting have been postponed.

Meanwhile, Yes24 initially announced that they were "conducting system checks to provide better service," but later admitted to the hacking incident and is fully focused on service recovery.

Image source: Yes24 used bookstore / Photo = Insight, Yes24 website capture, Yes24 Live Hall / Photo = Insight