As AI continues to get smarter, the schemes using it have often become more successful. However, one South Korean cyberhacking gang, reportedly led by a self-taught hacker using AI tools, doesn't seem to have made off with a king's ransom.

Despite allegedly obtaining 8.2 million records and demanding 360,000,000 Won (around $271.77K) from victims, the gang is said to have ended up receiving 300,000 Won (around $210). This is according to Yonhap News Agency, Seoul Economic Daily, and The Chosun Daily, which corroborate reports.

Altogether, the gang reportedly accessed files from over 90 firms, but 60 successful hits came from hacks using AI tools (a mixture of AI coding and an autonomous penetration testing system). The stolen data is said to have included customer information like names, registration numbers, phone numbers, and addresses.

The cyberhacking gang is also said to have sent threatening emails to those affected, saying, "If the data breach becomes public, the company’s reputation will be damaged, and government fines may be imposed." Payment info was not caught up in these breaches, and South Korean police say stolen data has not yet made it onto the dark web.

As noted by The Chosun Daily, police got to the ring fast, which might explain why only one small business appears to have paid the ransom fee. Police received a complaint from an affected company in June of this year, but the investigation officially started in August, leading to the arrest of seven individuals between July and September, including the 32-year-old alleged ringleader.

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