Repeated Service Outages at YES24: What’s the Real Issue?
On August 11, 2025, South Korea’s leading online bookstore, YES24, once again faced a complete outage. Why are the same problems resurfacing just two months after a ransomware hacking incident? This latest crisis raises serious questions about YES24’s service stability and security framework.
The Gravity of YES24’s Service Disruption
YES24 has grown beyond being just an online bookstore to become a cultural content platform. Yet, this service interruption rendered its website and app inaccessible, even disabling e-book services. This is a critical problem that directly disrupts customers’ everyday reading habits and cultural experiences.
Causes Behind the Recurring Failures
Fundamental Vulnerabilities in Security Systems: Although YES24 promised to bolster security after the ransomware attack in June, meaningful improvements may not have been realized.
Short-Term Fixes Prioritizing Rapid Recovery: A rush to restore services might have led to neglecting deeper, root-cause resolutions.
Increased Complexity from Global Expansion: Operating YES24 globally may have amplified system complexities, potentially introducing new security weaknesses.
The Road Ahead for YES24
Using this crisis as a turning point, YES24 must comprehensively overhaul its security framework and commit to long-term system improvements. Above all, regaining customer trust through transparent communication is crucial. All eyes are now on YES24 to see how it will overcome this challenge and transform into a safer, more reliable platform.
YES24's Global Ambition Becomes the Achilles' Heel of Security
YES24 dreams of evolving from the nation's largest online bookstore into a global cultural content platform. Penetrating overseas markets through Global YES24 was a core strategy in this ambition. But could the rapidly increasing complexity of its technological infrastructure during this process have unexpectedly spawned security vulnerabilities?
Riding the K-Wave to the World, Yet…
Fueled by the global popularity of K-POP and K-Drama, YES24 accelerated its expansion into international markets. By supporting multilingual services and integrating various international payment systems like PayPal, UnionPay, and Alipay, YES24 significantly improved accessibility for overseas customers. While this clearly propelled YES24’s growth, it simultaneously intensified the complexity of security management.
Complexity Breeds Security Flaws
Global service expansion inevitably complicates system architecture. In YES24’s case:
- Multiple servers to support multilingual functionality
- Integration with country-specific payment systems
- Consolidation of global shipping tracking systems
These elements likely created fresh security loopholes. Especially if the security framework, originally designed for a domestic focus, was not properly updated to suit the global environment, it would have been an irresistible target for hackers.
Capturing Both Growth and Security
YES24’s story demonstrates that rapid growth and global expansion don’t always promise a rosy future. If security systems fail to keep pace with the accelerating technological infrastructure, the consequences can be devastating.
Now, YES24 stands at a critical crossroads. Will it slow down its global expansion to invest more heavily in security, or risk everything on growth despite the dangers? The future of Korea’s leading online bookstore hinges on the choice it makes.
The Root Cause of YES24’s Security Failures: Experts Point Out the Issues
As YES24 experienced service disruptions again in August following the hacking incident in June, many users are raising questions: "Why has this happened again?" To find answers, we consulted security experts.
Rapid Recovery vs Fundamental Improvement
Security experts criticize YES24’s response approach. After the June hacking incident, YES24 focused heavily on restoring services quickly, but in doing so, they likely overlooked addressing the fundamental security vulnerabilities.
“YES24 must have put all their effort into minimizing customer inconvenience by restoring services promptly, but this ultimately caused them to miss a crucial opportunity for a comprehensive overhaul of their security system,” says a cybersecurity specialist.
Increasing System Complexity, Growing Vulnerabilities
YES24’s global expansion strategy is also identified as a factor increasing security risks. The adoption of multilingual support and various payment systems has complicated their technological infrastructure, potentially creating new security loopholes.
“The more complex a system becomes, the harder it is to manage security. If YES24 failed to adequately strengthen security in response to these changes, it could lead to severe problems,” shares another IT security expert.
Lack of Security Awareness: The Management’s Responsibility
Experts point to the root cause as a lack of security awareness within YES24’s leadership. A culture that sees security not as a cost but as an essential investment has not been established.
“Security is not optional; it’s an absolute necessity. Especially for platform companies handling customer data, this is paramount. If YES24’s management overlooked this fact, it was a dangerously flawed decision.”
YES24’s recurring security incidents highlight a need for profound reflection beyond mere technical fixes — calling for a fundamental shift in corporate security culture and management approach. The industry’s attention is now focused on how YES24 will overcome this crisis and regain customer trust moving forward.
Consumer Damages and Practical Countermeasures Amid Yes24 Service Suspension
From order cancellations to e-book inaccessibility, consumer damages caused by the suspension of Yes24’s services are rapidly spreading. Let’s explore essential response strategies that consumers must know in this crisis.
Current Types of Consumer Damages
Order and Delivery Issues
- Unable to place new orders
- Cannot check the status of existing orders
- No tracking or estimated delivery date available
E-Book Service Suspension
- Access to purchased e-books is blocked
- Unable to purchase or rent new e-books
Points and Payment Problems
- Points earned cannot be checked or used
- Delays in processing refunds
Member Information Management Issues
- Unable to modify personal information
- Cannot change passwords or update security settings
Practical Countermeasures for Consumers
Monitor Official Channels
- Regularly check Yes24’s official website and social media channels
- Stay updated on recovery progress and expected timelines
Use Alternative Services
- For urgent book purchases, use other online bookstores
- Utilize free trial services from other platforms if e-book access is critical
Record Order Details
- Keep a separate record of order numbers and payment details for purchases made before the service suspension
- Use these records as evidence in case issues arise later
Contact Customer Service
- Secure Yes24’s customer service phone number ahead of time
- Be prepared to inquire promptly once services are restored
Protect Personal Information
- Change passwords and review security settings immediately after service restoration
- If the same password was used on other sites, change passwords on those sites as well
Utilize Consumer Counseling Services
- If the service suspension lasts an extended time, contact the 1372 Consumer Counseling Center for damage relief
- Consider applying for collective dispute mediation if necessary
Verify Payment Records
- Check credit card statements and bank transaction histories for duplicate payments or other irregularities
Prepare for Legal Action
- Collect and keep related evidence in case serious damages occur
- Consider consulting consumer organizations or legal experts if needed
Though the inconvenience caused by Yes24’s service suspension is significant, following these countermeasures can help minimize your damages. Moreover, this incident serves as a crucial reminder of the importance of managing personal information and security, so developing cautious habits is strongly advised.
Recommendations for Yes24’s Future: The Path to Restoring Trust and Security Innovation
Reflecting on the lesson that "security is not optional but essential," the spotlight is on whether Yes24 can succeed not just in short-term service recovery but in building a long-term security framework. Let’s explore the key strategies Yes24 must pursue to achieve genuine transformation as a digital culture platform.
1. Transparent Communication and Trust Restoration
Yes24 must regain customer trust through honest and transparent communication about the incident. Detailed and regular updates on the root cause, current status, and future measures must be provided. While inconvenient in the short term, this is crucial for earning customers’ trust in the long run.
2. Comprehensive Reconstruction of Security Systems
Yes24 needs to fundamentally review and rebuild its current security systems. Collaborating with external security experts to adopt the latest technologies, establishing continuous monitoring and vulnerability analysis systems are essential. Especially, a proactive response system to anticipate new security threats arising from global expansion is required.
3. Balancing Digital Innovation with Security
As Yes24 pursues its evolution into a digital culture platform, security must be a top priority. Mandating security impact assessments for new services and applying the ‘Security by Design’ principle from the development stage is necessary. Although this might slow down the pace of innovation, it is an indispensable process for delivering safe services.
4. Strengthening Security Awareness Among Employees
Just as important as technical measures is the security mindset of employees. Yes24 should conduct regular security training for all staff and embed compliance with security regulations into performance evaluations, transforming the organizational culture into one centered on security.
5. Enhancing Customer Data Protection
Yes24 must ensure absolute protection of customers’ personal and payment information. This includes data encryption, access control management, and periodic security audits to guarantee data safety. Additionally, providing customers with guidelines on protecting their personal information fosters a collaborative effort to strengthen security.
If Yes24 successfully implements these strategies, it can transcend mere crisis recovery to become a safer and more trusted digital culture platform. This will not only elevate Yes24 but also raise the overall security standards of the domestic e-commerce industry. The forthcoming changes and innovations from Yes24 are truly anticipated.
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