DBS’, Bank of China’s printing vendor hit by ransomware attack; more than 11,000 customers affected

About 8,200 customers of DBS Bank – as well as 3,000 from the Bank of China’s Singapore branch – have had their customer information compromised after a printing vendor was hit by a ransomware attack.

Ransomware Attack Hits DBS Bank’s Printing Vendor

On Monday (Apr 7) night, DBS Bank said it was informed by Toppan Next Tech (TNT), one of its vendors for the printing of customer statements and letters, on Apr 5 at 10.21 pm that it had been a victim of a ransomware attack.

Compromised Information

The majority of the compromised statements and letters relate to accounts under the bank’s brokerage arm, DBS Vickers. The remaining statements mainly consist of Cashline loan accounts.

The bank said that customer data in the statements and letters that could have potentially been compromised include first and last name, postal address, as well as details relating to equities held under DBS Vickers and Cashline loans.

It noted that the statements and letters do not contain log-in credentials, passwords, NRIC details, deposit balances or total wealth holdings.

Bank’s Response

DBS Bank said it will be contacting potentially affected customers “as a matter of priority”, with impacted customers who have registered their e-mail address with the bank to be informed by Tuesday.

Should the bank not have the customer’s e-mail details, it will inform these individuals through physical mail sent directly from the bank on Tuesday.

CSA and MAS Joint Statement

In a separate joint statement released on Monday night, the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA) and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) said they were aware of a ransomware attack reported by TNT to the Personal Data Protection Commission on the evening of Apr 6.

“The attack has led to customer information from DBS Bank and Bank of China Limited, Singapore branch, being extracted by the threat actor,” both agencies said.

Conclusion

DBS Bank and the Bank of China have assured customers that their deposit and monies “remain safe” and that there is no evidence of any unauthorized DBS transactions resulting from the incident. The banks are taking steps to inform affected customers and are working with the relevant authorities to contain the situation.

FAQs

Q: How many customers were affected by the ransomware attack?
A: About 8,200 customers of DBS Bank and 3,000 customers of the Bank of China’s Singapore branch.

Q: What type of information was compromised?
A: First and last name, postal address, and details relating to equities held under DBS Vickers and Cashline loans.

Q: Are customer log-in credentials, passwords, or deposit balances affected?
A: No, the compromised statements and letters do not contain log-in credentials, passwords, NRIC details, deposit balances, or total wealth holdings.

Q: What is DBS Bank doing to inform affected customers?
A: The bank will be contacting potentially affected customers “as a matter of priority”, with impacted customers who have registered their e-mail address with the bank to be informed by Tuesday. If the bank does not have the customer’s e-mail details, it will inform these individuals through physical mail sent directly from the bank on Tuesday.