AI-powered hacking tools let a likely single attacker breach multiple South Korean banks, stealing over 25,000 records

What happened?

According to security firm CrowdStrike, a suspected Chinese-speaking attacker breached multiple South Korean financial institutions. At Shinhan Bank alone, more than 25,000 customer records were stolen.

How AI was used in the attack

The attacker used ARTEX, an open-source tool that leverages AI models such as DeepSeek and GLM-5.3 to automate penetration testing. In other words, steps that normally require expertise and time were largely automated.

Why it matters

CrowdStrike says the case shows how AI tools can let a single person pull off massive breaches. The availability of open-source AI models is lowering both the cost and the skill level required for cyberattacks.