SKT USIM Protection Subscribers Surge from 50,000 to 2.4 Million... "Replace All Customers' USIM Cards"

'USIM Protection Service' Subscribers Surge 48-Fold After SKT USIM Data Leak
Discussion of 'USIM Replacement' as a Practical Countermeasure

Following the recent USIM (Universal Subscriber Identity Module) information leak at SK Telecom, the country’s largest mobile carrier, the number of subscribers to the 'USIM Protection Service' surpassed 2.4 million within four days. The USIM Protection Service is a free value-added service provided by SKT to alleviate user concerns. However, there are criticisms that the current measures are insufficient. Some argue that more practical solutions, such as free USIM replacement for all users, are necessary.

According to data submitted by the office of Choi Minhee, a lawmaker from the Democratic Party of Korea, on April 25, the number of USIM Protection Service subscribers surged 48-fold following the recent hacking incident at SKT. The number of subscribers, which stood at only 50,000 before the incident, soared to 2.4 million as of April 24. New subscriptions were recorded at 290,000 on April 21, 216,000 on April 22, 1.01 million on April 23, and 830,000 on April 24.

This surge is interpreted as SKT customers expressing concerns over potential secondary damages resulting from the USIM information leak. In particular, the scale of the leaked personal information has not yet been confirmed in this hacking incident. SKT failed to identify the hacking route or the extent of the damage in its initial internal forensic investigation, making it difficult to accurately assess the situation.

In response, Representative Choi stated, "SKT should not delay any further and must immediately implement practical safety measures, such as free USIM replacement for all subscribers." If SKT decides to provide free USIM replacement to all users, the estimated cost would be approximately 177.1 billion won. This figure is calculated by multiplying the price of a USIM card, which is 7,700 won, by SKT's 23 million subscribers. The manufacturing cost of a USIM card varies by carrier but is known to be between the high 2,000 won range and the low 3,000 won range.

On the night of April 19, SKT announced that malicious code had been implanted in its internal system, resulting in the leakage of some subscribers' USIM information. The company stated that it immediately removed the malware and isolated the affected systems upon discovery, and is currently investigating the exact cause and scale of the leak in cooperation with relevant authorities. As of now, there have been no reported cases of the leaked information being misused.