SK to destroy personal data stockpile

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SK to destroy personal data stockpile

SK Communications became the first Internet company in Korea to announce plans to stop requiring that users submit a resident registration number to open an account with one of its online properties.

SK Communications said it also plans to destroy its database of resident registration numbers and other personal user information by December, including addresses, occupations, office numbers and blood type.

According to SK Communications yesterday, the new measure will allow users to sign up with the social networking site Cyworld and portal Nate by registering only their full names, a login name, password, birth date, gender and contact information.

Internet companies are required by law to verify the identity of their users. It is assumed that SK Communications and the government are consulting on how the company will do so without asking for a resident number.

The security of personal information stored by Internet companies became a national concern when data on SK’s 35 million users was stolen in July, including resident numbers.

“Starting in September, users don’t have to give their resident registration numbers to the company and they only need to type the passcodes they receive after certifying their identification at a private credit bureau,” said Ahn Hyeon-su, a public relations official at SK Communications. “Our company won’t have resident numbers at all.”

The Korea Communications Commission released its National Cyber Security Master Plan on Monday, which will limit the personal information that Internet companies can collect and store when it goes into effect next year.

Wrapping up its investigation into the hacking incident, the National Police Agency on Thursday concluded the attack originated from a Chinese IP address. The incident was the biggest-ever hacking case in Korea, according to police.

Most portal sites, including Nate’s competitors Naver and Daum, require users to create their accounts by either surrendering their registration numbers or using an Internet Personal Identification Number (i-pin).

Cyworld currently has 33 million users and Nate counts 25 million people as users.


By Kim Mi-ju [mijukim@joongang.co.kr]

한글 관련 기사 [중앙일보]

“회원 주민번호 파기” … SK컴즈, 해킹사고 대책

SK커뮤니케이션즈는 9월부터 회원 가입 시 주민등록번호 저장을 중지하고 기존에 수집한 주민등록번호도 파기하겠다고 12일 밝혔다. 싸이월드와 네이트온 가입자 3500만 명의 개인정보 유출 사고 후속조치다.

 가입할 때 회원들이 제공해야 하는 개인정보 역시 아이디(ID), 이름, 비밀번호 변경을 위한 연락처, 실명확인을 위한 아이핀(I-PIN)이나 신용평가사의 실명인증 값, 생년월일, 성별 정도로 최소화하기로 했다. 수집한 개인정보는 올해 말까지 모두 암호화해 관리하기로 했다.

 우편번호, 주소, 직업, 결혼 여부, 결혼기념일, 직장 전화번호, 띠, 별자리, 혈액형 같은 추가 수집 개인정보는 12월까지 파기한다.

 또 염흥렬(순천향대 교수) 한국정보보호학회장을 위원장으로 한 보안강화 특별자문위원회를 16일부터 가동하기로 했다. 이와 함께 회사의 최고보안책임자(CSO)를 최고경영자(CEO) 직속으로 두고, 보안전담 기구 강화를 위해 관련 인력 추가 채용을 시작했다. 주형철 SK컴즈 대표는 “정보 유출로 회원들에게 불편과 불안을 준 점 다시 사과드린다” 며 “회원의 개인정보 통제권을 한층 강화하고 보안 수준을 높이는 데 모든 역량을 집중하겠다”고 말했다.

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