State Bank of India Confirms Cyberattack; Data of 3,900 Customers Leaked on the Dark Web—Everything You Need to Know

State Bank of India reported on Wednesday that a cyberattack resulted in the exposure of 3,897 customer records—containing personally identifiable information—on the dark web.

The bank stated that an initial analysis indicates the leaked information includes customer names, mobile phone numbers, dates of birth, email addresses, residential addresses, brand and customer identifiers, and loan records.

The lender stated that it has engaged an independent cybersecurity firm to conduct a comprehensive assessment and to investigate the nature and scope of the data breach.

The bank stated that the breach is not expected to have any material impact on its core business operations, financial performance, or business continuity.

This incident comes at a time of heightened regulatory scrutiny. In recent years, as threats against financial institutions have continued to rise, regulators overseeing India’s banking sector have been urging lenders to strengthen their cybersecurity frameworks.

Who is behind this cyberattack?
According to CyberPulse, an X account that tracks cybersecurity breaches, the attack was carried out by a group known as “Siriusim” and was first reported on October 16.

The leaked data includes:

375,000 rows of CSV data

2,722 PDF documents

Personal customer information

Loan applications and supporting documentation

Account opening applications

Addresses and other application-related information

CyberPulse has warned that this data could facilitate identity theft, financial fraud, targeted phishing, and the submission of fraudulent loan applications.

What should customers do?
Prashant Mali, a Mumbai-based lawyer and expert in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and data protection, has warned that cybercriminals could exploit the stolen data to target unsuspecting customers.

To protect themselves against cybercrime, Mali urges State Bank of India (SBI) customers to:

Avoid clicking on any links, and never disclose your OTPs, PINs, passwords, or CVV codes.

Independently verify any unexpected calls regarding loans, KYC, or account-related issues.

Avoid clicking on suspicious links or opening attachments from unknown sources.

Please report any suspicious activity directly through official State Bank of India (SBI) channels.