BNM explains cyber threat alert for financial institutions to take precaution

Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) has clarified that a Financial Sector Cyber Threat Intelligence Platform (FinTip) alert circulating online was a routine precautionary notice for financial institutions and their connected counterparties.

BNM and the financial industry, it said, regularly share information about potential threats in cyberspace.

“FinTip constantly scans the cyber landscape and highlights emerging threats including a potential escalation in hacking activities.

“The alert allows financial institutions to take appropriate preventive measures to secure their systems and avoid any potential disruption to financial services,” BNM said in a statement today.

Pro-Israel hacktivist list

While it did not clarify which FinTip it was referring to, a leaked document titled “Threat Alert Pro-Israel Hacktivist Targeting Malaysian FI in Retaliation to DragonForce’s OpsBadai” – which was issued by the central bank on Wednesday – made its rounds on social media.

The document had highlighted a list of pro-Israel hacktivist groups, some of which were previously identified as having targeted Malaysian organisations.

They are Team UCC Operations or Unknown Cyber Cult, Kerala Cyber Xtractor, SilentOne, Indian Cyber Force, Garuna Ops, Israel Cyber Defence, Termux Israel, Anonymiss, Gaza Parking Lot Crew, and Silencer of Evil.

“While FinTip has not detected any concrete evidence of hacktivist groups preparing retaliatory attacks against Malaysian organisations in response to the actions by DragonForce, there was some unconfirmed intelligence chatter that they are planning to launch Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks.

“Despite the successful attacks carried out by DragonForce, these groups have not publicly disclosed any impending retaliatory actions.

“FinTip has not identified any other specific conversations or discussions pertaining to the targeting of Malaysian organisations and financial institutions,” the document read.

It was previously reported that the Malaysian hacker group DragonForce had hacked into Israeli websites and banking institutions in the past days.

According to media reports, DragonForce took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to expose bank details and told the public to “go shopping”.

Its actions have received backlash from netizens, with some condemning the group and calling them thieves.

DragonForce’s accounts on X have since been suspended.

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