South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Bithumb is investigating the extent of a data leak stemming from unauthorized access to an internal employee mobile system. The company detected the intrusion on October 27 and reported it the same day to the Korea Internet & Security Agency and the Personal Information Protection Commission.

The compromised platform, described as a groupware tool used by staff for work communications and information sharing, was accessed by an outsider without authorization. Bithumb confirmed that employee personal information was exposed but has not disclosed how many workers were affected or the specific types of records involved.

System Separation and Asset Safety

Bithumb stated that the affected internal work system operates on a network separate from its virtual asset trading platform. As a result, customer cryptocurrency holdings could not be reached through the breach. No losses of customer virtual assets have been reported, and the exchange has not indicated any disruption to deposits or withdrawals.

The company continues to review whether any customer or member data was included in the compromised materials. Officials have said an announcement on the findings would follow, though no final determination on customer records has been released.

Broader Wave of Cyber Incidents

The Bithumb incident forms part of a series of cyberattacks targeting South Korean financial institutions. Financial Supervisory Service Governor Lee Chan-jin noted that 16 financial firms had experienced such attacks as of October 14.

Among recent cases, Daishin Securities reported that personal and credit information belonging to 38,490 customers was leaked. The compromised details included names, email and home addresses, login IDs, bank and account numbers, and mobile phone numbers, with some account and phone data encrypted.

Mirae Asset Global Investments separately detected abnormal external access attempts on certain web systems. The firm blocked the access routes, activated emergency response measures, and stated that investor information was not affected.

South Korea’s presidential office scheduled a meeting for October 28 with Financial Services Commission officials to review the cyber incidents involving Bithumb and Mirae Asset Global Investments.

Bithumb ranks as the second-largest cryptocurrency exchange in South Korea by trading volume. The investigation into the precise scope of the data exposure remains ongoing.