I use Coupang too, and honestly, I was quite alarmed when I saw this news. Many of you probably feel the same way. If you're one of those people who can't imagine life without Rocket Delivery, hearing that your personal information might have been leaked must be unsettling.

But there's no need to panic. What matters is taking action right now. In this article, I'll briefly explain what happened and share practical steps you can take immediately to protect yourself.

What Happened with the Coupang Data Breach

Here's a quick summary: Part of Coupang's system was reportedly compromised by an external attack, raising concerns about customer data being leaked. While the exact scale and scope are still under investigation, it's been reported that information such as names, phone numbers, email addresses, and shipping addresses may have been exposed.

Coupang has stated that they are investigating the matter and notifying affected customers individually. However, in situations like this, it's wiser to take precautions rather than wait for official announcements.

How to Check If Your Information Was Leaked

First, it's a good idea to verify whether your information was included in the breach. There are several ways to do this.

First, check Coupang's official announcements. Log into the Coupang app or website and look for notification messages or emails. Affected users are likely to receive individual notifications.

Second, use external services like Have I Been Pwned. On this website, you can enter your email address to see if it's been included in any data breaches. Once the Coupang incident is registered, you'll be able to check there as well.

Third, visit the Korea Internet Security Agency's privacy portal (privacy.go.kr) to check for personal data leaks. This is an official service operated by a government agency, so you can trust it.

5 Things You Must Do Right Now

Whether or not the data breach affected you, this is a good opportunity to review your security. Here are five things you can do immediately.

1. Change Your Coupang Password Immediately

This is the first thing you should do. Change your password right now through the Coupang app or website. Your new password should be at least 12 characters long and include a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters. Avoid easy-to-guess passwords like "coupang2026!".

Password change path: Coupang App > My Coupang > Settings > Account Management > Change Password

2. Change Passwords on Other Sites If You're Using the Same One

To be honest, this is the scariest part. If you've been using the same password for Coupang, Naver, Google, and your banking apps, all those accounts could be at risk. Hackers attempting to log into other sites using leaked credentials is called "credential stuffing," and it's more common than you might think.

Even if it's inconvenient, please set different passwords for all your important accounts. If it's hard to remember them all, consider using a password manager app like 1Password or Bitwarden.

3. Set Up Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

Passwords alone aren't enough. With two-factor authentication, even if your password is leaked, no one can log in without additional verification. Coupang supports 2FA, so be sure to enable it.

Settings path: Coupang App > My Coupang > Settings > Security Settings > Two-Factor Authentication

The same goes for other important services like Naver, Kakao, and Google. Enable 2FA wherever possible.

4. Check for Suspicious Payment History or Login Alerts

Review your Coupang payment history carefully. Check for any orders you didn't make or if your shipping address has been changed to somewhere unfamiliar. Also review your registered card information and quick payment settings.

If you find any suspicious transactions, contact Coupang customer service (1577-7011) immediately and report it to your card company as well.

5. Be Extra Careful with Phishing Texts and Emails

This is really important. Whenever a data breach occurs, phishing attacks inevitably follow. You might receive texts or emails saying something like "This is Coupang. Due to the data breach, we need to verify your identity." Never click on any links.

Remember:

  • Coupang never asks for passwords or payment information via text message
  • Don't click on suspicious links; instead, open the Coupang app directly to check
  • If you receive a call from an unknown number claiming to be "Coupang Customer Service," hang up and call the official number yourself

Building Better Personal Data Protection Habits

Let this incident be an opportunity to rethink your approach to personal data protection. Developing a few habits can help minimize damage in similar situations in the future.

First, use different passwords for each site. With a password manager app, managing dozens of different passwords becomes easy.

Second, change your passwords regularly. Aim to change passwords for important accounts every three months or so.

Third, enable payment notifications. Set up payment alerts in your credit card app so you'll know immediately if any unauthorized transactions occur.

Fourth, don't provide more information than necessary. When signing up for accounts, avoid filling in optional fields.

On Corporate Responsibility

Honestly, it's frustrating that every time an incident like this happens, customers suffer the consequences while companies get by with just an apology. Of course, no system can be 100% secure, but companies handling millions of customers' data should be held to a higher standard of security investment and responsibility.

Once the exact cause of this incident is revealed, we need to watch what measures Coupang takes. There should be meaningful compensation and measures to prevent recurrence, not just apologies. As consumers, we all have the right to demand adequate security from companies.

Until then, I recommend taking the precautions mentioned above. In today's world, we have to protect our own information.