KT, LG Uplus ramp up security measures amid SK Telecom data breach

KT officials inspect its Clean Zone service. Courtesy of KT

KT boosts AI security as LG Uplus offers in-store checks, free phishing insurance

As SK Telecom grapples with the fallout from a massive data breach, rival phone plan providers KT and LG Uplus are seizing the opportunity to underscore their commitment to cybersecurity by enhancing security services and customer-focused initiatives in a risk-sensitive market.

SK Telecom’s recent hacking incident led to the leak of approximately 27 million user records, prompting around 330,000 customers to switch to rival companies since the breach was reported last month.

KT has recently enhanced its business-to-business security service, Clean Zone. The service uses AI to analyze client traffic patterns, filtering out malicious traffic during distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks while allowing legitimate traffic to reach company servers.

Using KT’s database of over 5.3 million cyber threat entries, the service blocks both local and international cyberattacks in real time with high analytical precision. Users also receive additional preventative measures, including mock drills and monthly security reports.

KT announced plans to more than double the capacity of Clean Zone in response to the rise in data breaches and increasingly sophisticated hacking attacks. It also plans to launch a client-facing monitoring dashboard for tracking detected DDoS attacks within the third quarter of this year.

It also plans to upgrade its AI-based mail security service by integrating a large language model to enhance reporting features after blocking email threats later this year.

The mail security service protects confidential information from various cyber-attacks, including spam, phishing and ransomware. It uses AI to analyze sender information, attachments and links in emails, blocking any cyberattacks detected in the content. KT has blocked over 13,000 malicious emails over the past year.

With the enhanced reporting feature, users can ask the AI assistant for threat detection summaries and receive detailed analyses, including risk levels, the importance of the threats and necessary actions to take.

LG Uplus is offering cell phone security assessments for its users at its stores this month. Users can schedule appointments to have their phone’s security status reviewed and receive guidance on using the LG Uplus customer center app to strengthen their protection.

The company will also inform visiting users of preventive measures against smishing (text-messaging scams) and phishing attacks.

Users will have access to LG Uplus’ AI agent ixi-O’s voice phishing detecting feature, which analyzes conversations during calls in real-time and alerts users to any suspicious activity.

The company is also running a promotion offering free phishing- and hacking-related insurance until July. Eligible customers include long-term users (over two years), as well as new and existing ixi-O subscribers. The insurance covers losses of up to 3 million won ($2,200) resulting from phishing, hacking, smishing or pharming attacks.