DataBreaches.Net

Menu
  • About
  • Breach Notification Laws
  • Privacy Policy
  • Transparency Report
Menu

HSBC Bank notifies customers after hacking incident (updated)

Posted on November 5, 2018 by Dissent

On November 2, HSBC sent letters to an undisclosed number of customers concerning a breach of their accounts. A template of the letter was submitted to the California Attorney General’s Office. It states, in part:

HSBC became aware of online accounts being accessed by unauthorized users between October 4, 2018 and October 14, 2018. When HSBC discovered your online account was impacted, we suspended online access to prevent further unauthorized entry of your account.

[…]

The information that may have been accessed includes your full name, mailing address, phone number, email address, date of birth, account numbers, account types, account balances, transaction history, payee account information, and statement history where available.

The letter does not explain how the attackers were able to access the accounts — whether there was any credential stuffing or another type of attack. But they state that in response to the breach, “We have enhanced our authentication process for HSBC Personal Internet Banking, adding an extra layer of security.”

So what does that mean? Are they first going to 2FA or were they already deploying 2FA and have added a different type of layer?

DataBreaches.net sent an email inquiry to HSBC and will update this post if additional details are received.

Update: A spokesperson for HSBC responded to this site’s inquiry. In an emailed statement, he explained that last month, their fraud monitoring team detected evidence that a relatively small percentage of online accounts (fewer than 1% of U.S. accounts) were being accessed by unauthorized users. In response, the bank immediately suspended online access and required affected users to contact the bank.

HSBC regrets this incident, and we take our responsibility for protecting our customers very seriously. We responded to this incident by fortifying our log-on and authentication processes, and implemented additional layers of security for digital and mobile access to all personal and business banking accounts. We have notified those customers whose accounts may have experienced unauthorized access, and are offering them one year of credit monitoring and identify theft protection service.

The bank strengthened security measures by requiring customers to enter additional pieces of personal information along with user name and password. So it sounds like HSBC deployed 2FA in response to the incident.

It also sounds like they believe this was a credential stuffing attack. In response to this site’s article and inquiry, the spokesperson informed DataBreaches.net that

We believe that personal information obtained from sources other than HSBC was used. This may have included passwords from other non-HSBC accounts, aka,”credential stuffing.

He also wrote:

“We are reminding our customers to protect access to their banking accounts by regularly changing their passwords, and by using unique passwords they are not using elsewhere, including on any social media accounts.”

Category: Breach IncidentsFinancial SectorHack

Post navigation

← Five Guys notifies employees of data breach
Sim Swapping Crypto Hacking Group Busted in Turkey →

Now more than ever

"Stand with Ukraine:" above raised hands. The illustration is in blue and yellow, the colors of Ukraine's flag.

Search

Browse by Categories

Recent Posts

  • ICE takes steps to deport the Australian hacker known as “DR32”
  • Hearing on the Federal Government and AI
  • Nigerian National Sentenced To More Than Five Years For Hacking, Fraud, And Identity Theft Scheme
  • Data breach of patient info ends in firing of Miami hospital employee
  • Texas DOT investigates breach of crash report records, sends notification letters
  • PowerSchool hacker pleads guilty, released on personal recognizance bond
  • Rewards for Justice offers $10M reward for info on RedLine developer or RedLine’s use by foreign governments
  • New evidence links long-running hacking group to Indian government
  • Zaporizhzhia Cyber ​​Police Exposes Hacker Who Caused Millions in Losses to Victims by Mining Cryptocurrency
  • Germany fines Vodafone $51 million for privacy, security breaches

No, You Can’t Buy a Post or an Interview

This site does not accept sponsored posts or link-back arrangements. Inquiries about either are ignored.

And despite what some trolls may try to claim: DataBreaches has never accepted even one dime to interview or report on anyone. Nor will DataBreaches ever pay anyone for data or to interview them.

Want to Get Our RSS Feed?

Grab it here:

https://databreaches.net/feed/

RSS Recent Posts on PogoWasRight.org

  • The Decision That Murdered Privacy
  • Hearing on the Federal Government and AI
  • California county accused of using drones to spy on residents
  • How the FBI Sought a Warrant to Search Instagram of Columbia Student Protesters
  • Germany fines Vodafone $51 million for privacy, security breaches
  • Malaysia enacts data sharing rules for public sector
  • U.S. Enacts Take It Down Act

Have a News Tip?

Email: Tips[at]DataBreaches.net

Signal: +1 516-776-7756

Contact Me

Email: info[at]databreaches.net

Mastodon: Infosec.Exchange/@PogoWasRight

Signal: +1 516-776-7756

DMCA Concern: dmca[at]databreaches.net
© 2009 – 2025 DataBreaches.net and DataBreaches LLC. All rights reserved.