VULNpocalypse
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Bank Rakyat website hack reported by The420.in as Malaysia orders review

The420.in reports Bank Rakyat webpages showed unauthorised content as Malaysia orders a review; customers should use official channels.

Published
Exploitation
Unknown, the compromise method has not been disclosed, and The420.in reports no confirmed theft of customer data or funds

What happened

The420.in reports that hackers reportedly compromised the website of Bank Rakyat, a major Malaysian financial institution. According to The420.in, the incident emerged late on Friday, November 6, when several Bank Rakyat webpages reportedly showed unauthorised content. The outlet cites a Malaysian technology publication, which it does not name. That publication reported that several webpages were altered, including an online banking login page.

According to The420.in, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said the incident involved unauthorised changes to a website managed by an external service provider. He said Malaysia’s banking systems remained secure, with no confirmed theft of customer information or disruption to financial transactions.

In a statement on November 7, Bank Rakyat attributed the corporate website disruption to a technical problem involving an external service provider, according to The420.in. The bank said customers’ personal information, banking details and deposits were unaffected. The outlet says the bank restricted access to affected webpages while attempting to restore normal operations. The outlet does not say whether restoration has been completed. It also notes that the bank’s account differs in emphasis from the government’s description of a website compromise.

The420.in reports that a hacker using the name MARLANWG reportedly claimed responsibility. The outlet states that the attacker’s identity and any claims of access to internal systems have not been independently verified.

According to The420.in, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim instructed the National Security Council to examine cybersecurity threats to important national infrastructure. Fahmi said the review will cover government websites, banking institutions, government-linked companies and other digital systems. The outlet reports that the Cabinet discussed the matter on November 6. It also reports that the National Cyber Security Agency is expected to take part in the assessment. Officials have not publicly linked this incident to a broader coordinated campaign.

What is not confirmed:

  • The method used to compromise the website, and whether the external service provider played any role in how the changes were made.
  • The name of the external service provider.
  • Forensic findings, and whether any other systems were accessed.
  • Whether any customer data or funds were taken. The420.in reports no independently verified evidence of stolen funds.

Am I affected?

  • Bank Rakyat customers: According to The420.in, the bank and the minister both say deposits, banking details and transactions were not affected. Neither account says attackers reached core banking infrastructure.
  • Other organisations: The sources name no other affected institution, provider, product or version. Whether any other organisation is exposed is not confirmed.

What to do now

  1. If you are a Bank Rakyat customer, follow the bank’s advice. The420.in reports that the bank told customers to use official channels such as the iRakyat mobile app and the designated business banking services.
  2. Watch for updates from Bank Rakyat, the National Security Council and the National Cyber Security Agency. The forensic findings and the results of the review have not been published.
  3. If an external provider runs your organisation’s public website, consider checking who can change your site content and how unauthorised changes would be detected. This is general practice, not guidance from the sources.

Sources