[Exclusive] Lotte Card to Lead Research for K-Glasswing's 'Project Canopy' — First Among Card Issuers

[Financial News] Lotte Card has been confirmed to have joined the steward group, the core operating body of the artificial intelligence (AI) security council known as Korea's version of Project Glasswing, called 'Project Canopy.' When the initiative launched in June, it started as a general partner participating in vulnerability sharing and patching, but it will now take the lead in setting the council's research direction and making key operational decisions. It is the first card issuer to participate as a steward.

According to Financial News on the 14th, Project Canopy, chaired by Park Se-jun, CEO of offensive security firm Theori, recently expanded the number of steward companies, which serve as the council's decision-making body, from five to seven. Lotte Card was confirmed as one of the two newly added companies.
Project Canopy is a private AI security council that uses AI to identify and verify vulnerabilities in open-source software (OSS) and other systems, while also supporting patching. It is made up of stewards who lead research and operations, and partners who take part in vulnerability analysis and patching.
After Anthropic's AI model 'Mythos' was placed under export controls in June, the global AI security alliance 'Project Glasswing' effectively stalled. The newly launched Canopy drew attention from the industry soon after. As concerns over dependence on foreign technology and the need for AI sovereignty grew, the number of stewards rose from five to seven, and the number of partners increased from 22 to 34 within two months of launch.
Lotte Card initially joined the council as a partner, but in July it became a steward with approval from the existing five steward companies. Beyond simply taking part in vulnerability analysis and patching, it will now directly participate in the council's overall operations, including setting research direction and voting on major agenda items.
It is the first time a card issuer has joined as a steward. The move is seen as significant because it brings a card company that handles large-scale financial and payment data into the core operating body of an AI security coalition, following telecom and IT companies.
As a steward, Lotte Card will also be required to contribute to the funding needed to run the council. At launch, Canopy secured about 3 billion won in resources to support AI-based vulnerability analysis and patching. Theori, which participates as a steward, helped raise the initial funds by contributing credits that can be used for its AI hacker solution 'Xint.' Later, the steward companies added further donations in cash and in kind. The current operating funds are understood to have increased from the original 3 billion won.

Lotte Card appears to be putting even more weight behind strengthening its security capabilities through its entry into the steward group. Last year, the company leaked credit information of 2.97 million users and was sanctioned by the Financial Services Commission (FSC) with a one-and-a-half-month business suspension and a fine of 5 billion won. The business suspension is in effect from the 1st of this month through the 15th of next month. A security industry official said, "Lotte Card appears to be actively working to strengthen its security capabilities by reorganizing its internal security system after the data leak and expanding its role in Canopy as a steward."
Project Canopy is also rapidly broadening its reach. All 41 companies currently involved are domestic firms, but the council aims to remain open to companies and institutions regardless of nationality. It recently opened a public registration page so overseas companies and research institutions can also join. In the long term, it plans to build a global network for vulnerability analysis and information sharing based on Korea's AI security ecosystem. Over the two months since launch, Samsung SDS, Doosan Corporation, Mirae Asset Securities, JB Financial Group, Lotte Non-Life Insurance, and ATON have also joined as partner companies.
[email protected] Choi Hye-rim Reporter