KT faces £37.6m fine after femtocell hack leaks 16,600 records

KT has been fined over 53.9 billion won (approximately $37.6 million) due to a personal data breach and unauthorized micropayment damages resulting from illegal exploitation of femtocells. The Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) has ordered KT to strengthen safety measures and improve data protection standards.

An investigation revealed hackers gained unauthorized access to KT's network, leading to the leakage of personal data for 16,647 users and unauthorized micropayment losses totaling around 240 million won. Additionally, KT concealed malware infections affecting 38 servers. KT's chief has taken responsibility for the incident and offered early termination refunds to affected customers.