Hackers Claim Access to State Bank of Vietnam’s Creditor Database; Investigation Underway

The Vietnamese cybersecurity agency announced it is investigating a significant breach of public records following claims by hackers that they accessed a State Bank of Vietnam database containing creditor information.

 

Recently, Reuters reported that the National Credit Information Center of Vietnam suffered a major security breach, with cyber criminals gaining unauthorised access to its internal systems and stealing sensitive data.

 

Vietnam’s National Credit Information Center (CIC), operated under the supervision of the State Bank of Vietnam, maintains a comprehensive database containing sensitive information such as personal identification details, credit payment records, risk analyses, and credit card data.

 

In a notification to financial institutions, CIC said that it has initiated an investigation, with support from cyber security experts, to assess the nature and extent of the breach. CIC further stated that it believes the cyber attack was carried out by the international hacker group Shiny Hunters, known for targeting major global companies such as Google, Microsoft, and Qantas.

 

“The incident has not disrupted operations or caused any damage, and the credit information service system remains fully functional,” CIC said in a notification sent to financial institutions.

 

On September 11, the Vietnam Cybersecurity Emergency Response Center (VNCERT) was officially notified by CIC about the incident. Subsequently, the Department of Cybersecurity and High-Tech Crime Prevention directed VNCERT to coordinate efforts with CIC, the State Bank of Vietnam, and prominent cybersecurity companies such as Viettel, VNPT, and NCS.

 

Evidence is currently being collected, and technical measures have been implemented to safeguard the nation’s financial data systems.

 

The State Bank of Vietnam has yet to comment on the breach, while investment bank JPMorgan noted in a message to investors that the incident may lead to increased cybersecurity expenses for local banks, though it does not anticipate any immediate effect on deposit flows.