Last year, an unauthorized individual accessed the mobile Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) operated by the Republic of Korea's Medical Command, gaining access to personal medical information of military personnel.
According to the Ministry of National Defense, the unauthorized access was confirmed during a central security audit conducted by the Military Counterintelligence Command in April.
PACS is a system that stores medical images such as X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs, allowing medical staff to retrieve them. The system was operational in the military since July of last year.
In June, a joint investigation team from the Ministry of National Defense, Cyber Operations Command, Counterintelligence Command, and Medical Command examined the incident and found that approximately 8GB of data had been accessed improperly between November and December of last year. This amount is equivalent to about 1,000 X-ray images.
A Ministry official stated to reporters, "While there are indications of a potential leak, we have not confirmed any actual data breaches," adding that it is difficult to determine whether the incident was a deliberate attack.
The unauthorized individual was able to access PACS through open communication ports. It was also revealed that these ports had remained open from November of last year until March of this year.
The official explained, "The system is relatively new, and it appears that inadequate management allowed the communication ports to operate in a vulnerable state."
Upon realizing the unauthorized access, the Ministry of National Defense immediately suspended operations of the mobile PACS system and notified individuals whose contact information was stored in the system about the breach. Additionally, measures to prevent recurrence will be implemented based on the investigation's findings.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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