Kaohsiung Police Arrest Suspect for Using AI-Generated Code to Steal and Sell 230,000 Personal Records

The Kaohsiung City Police Department's Criminal Investigation Brigade has cracked a cyberattack case involving generative AI. Authorities reported that a 38-year-old suspect surnamed Lin, despite having no software engineering background, allegedly utilized AI generation tools to write code and assemble an automated cyberattack system to breach vulnerable private and government websites, exfiltrating over 230,000 personal records. According to police investigations, the suspect subsequently sold the compromised data—including records from Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Thailand—via Telegram and the dark web for around NT$6 per record, yielding estimated illicit proceeds of more than NT$2.7 million. In mid-October, cybercrime investigators raided a residence in Fengshan District to seize computer and networking equipment. Facing aggravated charges under offenses against computer security for targeting public agencies, Lin faces up to 4 years and 6 months in prison. Experts and authorities cautioned that as AI lowers the barrier for cyberattacks, organizations must strengthen supply chain oversight, internal monitoring, and routine penetration tests, while individuals should utilize multi-factor authentication.

Key takeaways

• Kaohsiung police arrested a suspect without an IT background who allegedly used AI to write attack code and breach websites, stealing 230,000 records.
• The suspect allegedly resold Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Thailand records on Telegram and dark web markets, yielding over NT$2.7 million in illegal proceeds.
• Investigators seized computer and network equipment in mid-October; facing aggravated charges for targeting public agency records, the suspect faces up to 4 years and 6 months in prison.