Ukrainian hackers from the collective KibOrg have disclosed the complete customer database of Alfa-Bank, Russia’s largest commercial bank, impacting 38 million clients and millions of legal entities. The leaked data, which dates back to 2004, encompasses sensitive details such as customer names, dates of birth, account numbers, and phone numbers, comprising over 115 million records in total.
This cyber breach follows earlier reports from Ukraine’s SBU security service, revealing that Ukrainian cyber specialists hacked Alfa-Bank. In a peculiar twist, the hackers contacted the bank’s owner, Mikhail Fridman, in a prank call, inquiring about his stance on the war in Ukraine before promptly hanging up. Fridman, a Russian oligarch under sanctions from Ukraine, the United States, and the European Union, faces charges of war financing, accused of injecting about 2 billion rubles ($22 million) into the Russian military-industrial complex at the onset of the full-scale invasion.
The leaked information poses significant concerns as it exposes Alfa-Bank customers to potential identity theft and fraud, given the breadth of sensitive data included. The hack underscores the escalating cyber conflicts between Ukrainian and Russian entities, with the SBU security service previously accusing Fridman of financially supporting the Russian military-industrial complex.
This breach adds another layer to the complex geopolitical and cybersecurity landscape in the region, emphasizing the impact of such incidents on both financial institutions and individuals. As the fallout from this cyber incident unfolds, it highlights the imperative for heightened cybersecurity measures and international cooperation to address the evolving threats posed by malicious actors in the digital realm.
