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South Korean ID System To Be Rebuilt From Scratch After Massive Leaks

Posted by Soulskill on from the maybe-think-it-through-this-time dept.

AmiMoJo writes: South Korea's national identity card system may need a complete overhaul following huge data thefts dating back to 2004. The government is considering issuing new ID numbers to every citizen over age 17, costing billions of dollars. The ID numbers and personal details of an estimated 80% of the country's 50 million people have been stolen from banks and other targets. Some 20 million people, including President Park Geun-hye, have been victims of a data theft. Citizens are unable to change their credentials, which are used in many different sectors, making them an attractive target for hackers.

1 of 59 comments (clear)

  1. Identification != Authentication by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    In Switzerland the equivalent of a Social Security Number (AHV-Nummer) is pretty much public knowledge.
    E.g mine is 114.77.233.114, and I'm posting as AC!! There is even an online tool to calculate the number from birthday, name and gender.
    And we don't have more problems with identity theft than the rest of the world.
    The difference is for authentication for important stuff we have to show up in person with an ID and a real human checks the identity.