KT mobile payment breach rattles users over new security threat

A series of unauthorized mobile payment fraud cases have recently hit KT users in Seoul and the surrounding Gyeonggi Province, sparking an unprecedented security threat, with suspicions that rogue cellular base stations were used for the crimes. The mobile payment breach first surfaced last week as police investigated unauthorized mobile charges affecting KT users residing in Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi Province. About 20 victims reported that they were suspiciously charged for transactions such as digital gift cards and transit card top-ups from Aug. 27-31. The issue quickly escalated when more payment fraud cases were reported in Seoul. The Ministry of Science and ICT said in a briefing Wednesday that there were 278 cases reported, with the amount of damages assessed at approximately 170 million won ($122,500). With evidence suggesting that hackers used illicit micro base stations, or femtocells, to intercept user traffic to carry out unauthorized payments, the case has exploded into a major security emergency, rattling the telecom’s consumers. Femtocells, often used to offload data traffiWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times