The State Bank of India (SBI) has acknowledged the theft of its customers' data in connection with a cyber attack. The bank has been informed that private information of some customers is available on the dark web.
According to SBI's preliminary investigation, information of 3,897 customers was found on the dark web. This information includes names, mobile numbers, dates of birth, email IDs, home addresses, bank branch details, and identification numbers linked to customer information files, lead IDs, and loan records. The bank is investigating the level at which this data theft occurred.
SBI stated that this cyber attack incident has had no significant impact on the bank's core banking services or financial performance. In a filing submitted to stock exchanges, the State Bank of India mentioned that it received notification on October 16 from the Defence Cyber Agency (DCyA) and the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) regarding the potential appearance of customer data on the dark web. Following this, an intensive check of customer records on the dark web was conducted, revealing personal identification information of 3,897 customers.
In response to this incident, SBI has activated its security protocols to deal with the cyber attack and limit potential damage. The bank is currently ascertaining the authenticity of the data, its source, and the potential impact on customers. The bank believes this case requires a detailed investigation to determine whether the revealed records are genuine, where the data originated, and how much information was leaked.
Despite the exposure of customers' private information on the dark web, SBI has clarified that its core banking services are operating normally. According to the bank, this incident has not significantly affected its key business functions, financial performance, or operational continuity. SBI has assured that it is taking immediate necessary steps to handle and control the cyber incident. The State Bank of India has reassured its customers that it will continuously monitor the situation and take necessary action as per regulations.
Previously, a hacker group named Siriusim made a claim. This group claimed on the BreachForums platform on the dark web that it had obtained information related to approximately 3.75 lakh SBI customers. However, SBI did not mention the name of any hacker group in the filing submitted to the stock exchanges. SBI's initial investigation only confirmed the presence of personal identification information of 3,897 customers on the dark web.
This data theft incident at SBI comes at a time when concerns regarding cybersecurity and the protection of customers' private information in the banking sector are rising. Earlier, Bank of Baroda had admitted to a data leak in July, reporting that approximately 1 terabyte (TB) of data was leaked. In SBI's case, the main focus of the investigation is on where the customer data came from on the dark web, how much information was leaked, and whether it can be misused.
SBI advises customers to be cautious of any suspicious calls, messages, or emails appearing in the name of the bank. They should not click on any unknown links nor share OTPs, PINs, passwords, or confidential information related to their bank accounts with anyone, as fraud attempts can be made by misusing private information.
