In November 2025, Coupang faced one of the most significant challenges in its history, a data breach involving nearly 33.7 million customer accounts. As both an entrepreneur and an active participant in the technology industry, observing such incidents highlights pressing issues for businesses across the world, particularly in the digital space where data security has become paramount.
The breach exposed personal information, including names, phone numbers, email addresses, shipping addresses, and some order histories. Payment details and login credentials seemed unaffected, which provided limited relief to those impacted. The incident went undetected for months, starting in June with Coupang becoming aware only in mid-November. It’s estimated that the breach targeted nearly 66% of South Korea's population, which is staggering.
How This Event Reflects Larger Business Risks
Being the founder of multiple startups myself, I’ve noticed how companies at every level, whether an e-commerce giant like Coupang or a smaller-scale operation, face similar risks. Security lapses aren't just technical failures; they also erode customer trust, harming brand reputation. For Coupang, dubbed South Korea’s “Amazon,” this breach is more than just a technical flaw. It reveals the broader trend of sophisticated cyberattacks targeting high-value companies.
But let’s pause and think like entrepreneurs facing similar risks. How can we address such vulnerabilities before they spiral out of control?
Key Statistics Highlighting the Larger Issue
- Global Cybercrime Trend: By 2025, cybercrime is projected to cost businesses globally $10.5 trillion annually, according to cybersecurity data published by Cybersecurity Ventures.
- Historical Frequency: South Korea experienced multiple high-profile breaches before this incident, including SK Telecom involvements impacting 23 million customers earlier in 2025.
Small-scale startups may not yet face attacks at these scales, but as their databases grow, cybersecurity can no longer be treated as secondary. Having worked with multiple startups globally, I’ve identified patterns of vulnerabilities: misplaced trust in outsourced solutions, lack of internal expertise on data security, and underfunding active monitoring systems.
Steps Businesses Should Take to Get Ahead
If you want your business to avoid becoming a cautionary tale, here is a practical approach:
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Invest In Robust Data Monitoring Tools: Whether you are a small SaaS startup or e-commerce platform, tools like Splunk or SentinelOne, known for continuous system monitoring, can help detect intrusions early.
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Conduct Regular Internal Audits: Security experts recommend hiring third-party firms for routine audits or even minor simulation "penetration tests." Companies can identify weak points before attackers do.
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Encrypt Sensitive Customer Information Thoroughly: Modern encryption techniques can ensure that even if unauthorized persons access files or databases, the information remains unusable.
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Balance Outsourcing With Oversight: Outsourced corporate security solutions can be handy, especially for smaller businesses. However, these require strict oversight without relinquishing key control over proprietary data.
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Educate Employees: Simple behavioral habits like identifying phishing emails or maintaining strong passwords significantly reduce risk for companies.
The Most Common Mistakes Businesses Make
While these proactive steps can safeguard your company, avoiding mistakes is equally crucial:
- Underestimating the Scale of Modern Threats: Some founders believe hackers only target large companies, dismissing their startup as "small fish." In reality, attackers often test smaller businesses first for weaknesses.
- Failing to React Quickly During Breaches: Many businesses take days before acting post-detection. Time translates directly to reputational and financial losses.
- Neglecting Routine Software Updates: Whether you use SaaS products or customized systems, ensuring all components are updated regularly is non-negotiable.
Applying Lessons from This Case to Smaller Startups
While Coupang is an e-commerce behemoth and operates at a vastly different scale compared to many startups, there’s still plenty to learn. Entrepreneurs should start scrutinizing their current systems for gaps that aren’t glaring but may still leave them exposed.
For example, startups often depend on third-party tools to process payments or manage databases, any one of these systems can become the Achilles' heel if trust is misplaced in vendors lacking robust securities. This underscores the importance of vetting partners, negotiating contracts to emphasize accountability for breaches, and demanding compliance with industry-standard encryption protocols.
Reflecting on Challenges Versus Opportunities
What interests me as an entrepreneur is how crises often open doors for innovation. For businesses like Coupang or yours, there’s the pressure to reassure customers, adapt swiftly, and address vulnerabilities. This push might lead companies to embrace advancements they often treated as secondary, such as algorithm-based security tools, predictive risk modeling, or smarter ways of communicating breach handling transparently.
I’ve seen startups establish themselves as market disruptors by doing just this, turning their response into an example for others. These moments teach remarkable lessons about resilience and reputation management.
The Critical Takeaway
Entrepreneurs in every space, e-commerce, SaaS software, education, and others, must think critically about data security, treating it not merely as a compliance checkbox but a core business competency. As Coupang’s devastating data breach demonstrates, vulnerabilities once considered negligible now form battlegrounds. And these battles aren’t won overnight; they require persistent commitment and informed investments.
If building your startup feels overwhelming, start by focusing on cybersecurity. Staying ahead doesn’t require vast technical expertise, it just requires the right mindset and proper planning. By addressing cybersecurity early, you’re setting your business up not only for resilience but as an example others can admire.
For resources to guide security planning or database protection strategies, I recommend exploring [Korea Internet Security Agency (KISA)] for insights into regulatory practices or checking out [Cybersecurity Degrees] for certifications that help develop internal expertise.
FAQ
1. What was the scope of Coupang's data breach in 2025?
The data breach at Coupang affected 33.7 million customer accounts, exposing personal information such as names, email addresses, phone numbers, shipping addresses, and some order histories. Read about the breach at TechCrunch
2. When was the breach first detected, and how long did it last?
The unauthorized access began on June 24, 2025, but Coupang only detected it on November 18, 2025, making it a breach that lasted over 5 months. Learn more about the timeline at TechCrunch
3. Were sensitive financial details compromised in the breach?
No, Coupang confirmed that payment information, credit card numbers, and login credentials were not accessed during the breach. Discover more about what data was exposed at The Korea Herald
4. How many people were impacted by the breach relative to South Korea’s population?
Nearly 66% of South Korea’s population was affected, considering the breach impacted 33.7 million accounts out of an approximate population of 51 million. Check details on CNBC
5. What actions did Coupang take after detecting the breach?
Coupang blocked the unauthorized access route, improved monitoring, and hired an independent security firm for investigation. Read about Coupang's response at Yonhap News
6. Was international data from Taiwan or Japan affected?
The breach was localized to South Korea. Coupang confirmed there was no evidence of customer data exposure in Taiwan or Japan. Learn about unaffected regions at TechCrunch
7. How did South Korean authorities respond to the breach?
Authorities, including the Korea Internet Security Agency (KISA), issued public advisories and conducted investigations into IP addresses and vulnerabilities. Read about regulatory actions at Reuters
8. What were the broader implications for South Korea's cybersecurity?
The breach highlighted vulnerabilities across South Korean businesses, adding to a series of high-profile data breaches in 2025, such as SK Telecom's exposure of 23 million users earlier that year. Discover the larger trend at BBC
9. Were there previous breaches affecting Coupang?
Coupang experienced other breaches in recent years, including a 2023 seller management system leak affecting over 22,000 customers. Check past incidents at Maeil Business News
10. What can startups learn from this incident?
Startups should prioritize data encryption, regular audits, employee education, and vet third-party vendors to mitigate risks highlighted by Coupang’s breach. Read cybersecurity lessons at PYMNTS
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta Bonenkamp's expertise in CAD sector, IP protection and blockchain
Violetta Bonenkamp is recognized as a multidisciplinary expert with significant achievements in the CAD sector, intellectual property (IP) protection, and blockchain technology.
CAD Sector:
- Violetta is the CEO and co-founder of CADChain, a deep tech startup focused on developing IP management software specifically for CAD (Computer-Aided Design) data. CADChain addresses the lack of industry standards for CAD data protection and sharing, using innovative technology to secure and manage design data.
- She has led the company since its inception in 2018, overseeing R&D, PR, and business development, and driving the creation of products for platforms such as Autodesk Inventor, Blender, and SolidWorks.
- Her leadership has been instrumental in scaling CADChain from a small team to a significant player in the deeptech space, with a diverse, international team.
IP Protection:
- Violetta has built deep expertise in intellectual property, combining academic training with practical startup experience. She has taken specialized courses in IP from institutions like WIPO and the EU IPO.
- She is known for sharing actionable strategies for startup IP protection, leveraging both legal and technological approaches, and has published guides and content on this topic for the entrepreneurial community.
- Her work at CADChain directly addresses the need for robust IP protection in the engineering and design industries, integrating cybersecurity and compliance measures to safeguard digital assets.
Blockchain:
- Violetta’s entry into the blockchain sector began with the founding of CADChain, which uses blockchain as a core technology for securing and managing CAD data.
- She holds several certifications in blockchain and has participated in major hackathons and policy forums, such as the OECD Global Blockchain Policy Forum.
- Her expertise extends to applying blockchain for IP management, ensuring data integrity, traceability, and secure sharing in the CAD industry.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond, launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks and is building MELA AI to help local restaurants in Malta get more visibility online.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.
About the Publication
Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch.
Mission and Purpose
Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.
Key Features
The platform offers a unique blend of news, resources,learning, networking, and practical application within a supportive, female-focused environment:
- Skill Lab: Micro-modules covering essential startup skills
- Virtual Startup Building: Create or join startups and tackle real-world challenges
- AI Co-founder (PlayPal): Guides users through the startup process
- SANDBOX: A testing environment for idea validation before launch
- Wellness Integration: Virtual activities to balance work and self-care
- Marketplace: Buy or sell expert sessions and tutorials
Impact and Growth
Since its inception, Fe/male Switch has shown impressive growth:
- 5,000+ female entrepreneurs in the community
- 100+ startup tools built
- 5,000+ pieces of articles and news written
- 1,000 unique business ideas for women created
Partnerships
Fe/male Switch has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings. In January 2022, it teamed up with global website builder Tilda to provide free access to website building tools and mentorship services for Fe/male Switch participants.
Recognition
Fe/male Switch has received media attention for its innovative approach to closing the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. The platform has been featured in various publications highlighting its unique "play to learn and earn" model.