Coupang said it has identified the person responsible for the recent personal data leak and secured all devices used to access customer information, confirming that no additional data was leaked externally.
The platform identified a former employee as the source of the leak through a digital forensic investigation and analysis conducted by the company with outside specialist institutions, and the individual has confessed to all related actions, according to the e-commerce giant. The person accessed approximately 33 million customer accounts using an internal security key stolen during employment, but the information actually stored on a personal storage device was limited to about 3,000 accounts, according to Coupang.
The stored data consisted of basic information such as names, email addresses, phone numbers, addresses and some order information. Shared building entrance access codes were involved in 2,609 cases. Sensitive information such as payment details, login credentials and personal customs clearance identification numbers was not included, and no evidence was found that the data had been transmitted to third parties.
Coupang said it recovered all devices used in the leak, including a desktop computer, hard disks and a MacBook Air laptop, following verified procedures. A laptop that the former employee attempted to discard in a river in an effort to destroy evidence was also retrieved after a search, and its serial number was confirmed to match the individual's account information.
The company said it commissioned investigations by global cybersecurity firms including Mandiant, Palo Alto Networks and Ernst and Young from the early stages of the incident and has been cooperating with authorities by submitting relevant materials to government agencies.
"We take full responsibility for causing serious concern and inconvenience to customers," said Coupang. "We will make every effort to prevent recurrence and secondary damage. We will announce customer compensation measures soon."
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY BAE JAE-SUNG [[email protected]]