Banking system secure, says Fahmi after Bank Rakyat hack.

 The communications minister said hacking attempts detected so far had not resulted in data theft or affected the country's online banking operations.

Late on Friday night, Bank Rakyat said its website had been defaced and it had disabled access to most of its website. (Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA:

Malaysia’s online banking system and financial transactions remain secure despite attempted cyberattacks, including a recent hack of Bank Rakyat’s website, communications minister Fahmi Fadzil said today.

He said the hacking attempts detected so far had not resulted in data theft or affected the country’s online banking operations, Bernama reported.

“So, our banking and financial sectors remain secure, and online transactions are safe,” he said in Doha, where he will attend the conference of the International Telecommunication Union.

Fahmi said the hack was confined to changes to the website’s appearance and involved a third-party-managed site. “The incident was limited to web defacement and the website had been taken over,” he said. Bank Rakyat had blocked access to the affected server and redirected users to the i-Rakyat website, which the bank fully owns.

A report on the Loywat.net tech website stated that Bank Rakyat said the bank disabled access to most of its website late on Friday night after several banking pages on its website, including the iRakyat online banking login page, were defaced. The bank posted a notice on its social media channels after the defaced sites were taken offline, the report said.

Bank Rakyat’s statement on Friday explaining what had happened to its website. (Facebook pic)

A hacker going by the name MARLANWG was said to have claimed responsibility. He had previously claimed to have obtained access to the databases of the customs department.

Fahmi, who is the government spokesman, said Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had ordered the National Security Council to review potential security threats to various national infrastructure facilities, particularly hybrid threats. The review involved examining internet infrastructure, websites and databases to ensure continued protection of the country’s digital assets.

“At yesterday’s Cabinet meeting, the prime minister called for a more thorough review of cybersecurity across all government assets, banking institutions and GLCs,” he said.

Fahmi is in Doha for a conference of the International Telecommunication Union, at which Malaysia will seek to retain its seat on the ITU council for a three-year term. - FMT