AhnLab, one of the country’s largest cybersecurity companies, which provides software and services to protect computers, networks and cloud systems, jumped 15.58 percent to close at 89,000 won ($65.50) on the junior KOSDAQ. Genians, another cybersecurity company that helps businesses control network access and detect cyber threats, climbed 20.83 percent to 24,650 won. Both stocks hit their highest levels of 2026.
Some names posted even sharper gains. SANDS Lab, which develops AI-based cyber threat intelligence and security technologies, surged 29.99 percent to 8,970 won, while RaonSecure, an IT security and digital authentication provider, jumped 29.98 percent to 14,870 won. Both stocks hit the daily upper limit.
The broader cybersecurity sector also advanced. Fasoo AI, a data security company, rose 15.60 percent. SGA Solutions, which provides system and cloud security services, gained 15.61 percent. Monitorapp, a web and network security company, advanced 11.23 percent, while X-Gate, which specializes in VPNs and firewalls, climbed 9.10 percent.
The rally followed a series of cyberattacks on major banks in the country, including Shinhan Bank, KB Kookmin Bank and Hana Bank. The breaches exposed personal information of at least 25,935 customers and employees through support systems, while the banks' main internet and mobile banking transaction systems were not compromised.
Concerns intensified after President Lee Jae Myung said Tuesday that AI appeared to have been used in the attacks. Financial authorities were examining whether AI tools helped automate parts of the hacking, although they had not identified a specific tool or specified exactly how it may have been used.
Investors are looking at whether the attacks could prompt broader cybersecurity spending beyond the financial sector, including at public institutions and private companies. Demand for security solutions could grow further if AI-assisted cyberattacks become more widespread and companies seek to strengthen existing defenses.
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