License images leaked, reissuance applications continue, concerns over "impersonation" have limited effect - Request for stricter identity verification - National Police Agency

The car-sharing service ``Times Car'' suffered a cyber attack and a large number of images of driver's licenses were leaked, leading to a number of people in various places applying for driver's licenses to be reissued. It appears that people are requesting that their card information be updated out of fear of being a victim of ``impersonation,'' but the effect on preventing damage is said to be limited. The National Police Agency is calling on financial institutions and other institutions to thoroughly verify the identity of individuals, and is calling on individuals to ``contact the police immediately if you suspect fraud or misuse of personal information.''

The leaked image data, including driver's licenses with facial photos, is said to be for approximately 1.6 million people. According to the National Police Agency, after the incident was announced, police departments and driver's license centers around the country have received many inquiries asking people to ``change the information on their driver's licenses.''

As a general rule, re-issuance is limited to cases where there is a change in the written information due to loss, damage, relocation, etc. However, the Enforcement Regulations of the Road Traffic Act allow for reissuance if each Public Safety Commission deems it to be ``reasonable circumstances,'' and in response to the leakage issue, almost all counters are now allowing reissues.

However, only the face photo and the last number of the 12-digit number that indicates the number of reissues can be changed. Addresses and dates of birth are in the hands of criminals, and business operators have no way of checking whether the driver's license has been renewed or not, so reissuing the driver's license has a limited effect on deterring crime.

The National Police Agency has asked related businesses to thoroughly check the procedures during procedures, in response to concerns about fraudulent opening of financial accounts and credit card contracts due to impersonation. From April next year, the revised Act on Prevention of Transfer of Criminal Proceeds will require financial institutions to verify the identity of individuals by reading the IC chip on their Individual Number cards or driver's licenses, making it impossible to impersonate individuals using images alone. Some companies have already implemented the system in advance, and the agency plans to make the system known and encourage active implementation.

In addition to Timescar, leaks of personal information due to unauthorized access have come to light one after another, and it is expected that there will be an increase in fraudulent phone calls and fake emails pretending to be from companies that leaked information.

At a press conference on the 8th, National Police Agency Commissioner Yoshinobu Kusunobu emphasized, ``We will work to ensure a safe and secure cyberspace from both the perspectives of arrest and deterrence,'' and called for thorough basic security measures. He urged people to take measures such as using security apps that block fraudulent calls, updating passwords, and not opening suspicious emails.