Bangladesh Bank recently warned banks and non-banking financial institutions (NBFIs) that they were at risk of cyber attacks and asked them to take measures against malware and virus attacks.
Malware like the banking Trojan TrickBot -- which can steal financial details, account credentials and personally identifiable information -- were the main threats identified.
In a letter on July 10, the central bank requested banks and NBFIs to deploy cyber security practices such as regular patch updates of ICT systems, use of licenced software and other solutions, regular penetration tests to assess the vulnerabilities in sensitive systems, constant monitoring and storage backup.
The central bank also asked banks and NBFIs to notify of any recent incidents of malware attacks and the actions taken by July 13.
It also sought a detailed account of the preventive and reactive measures from cyber attacks by July 20.
The letter from the central bank comes after Bangladesh Krishi Bank's server came under a malware attack last month.
Ransomware group ALPHV, also known as BlackCat, broke into the state bank's servers and made away with more than 170 GB of crucial information.
The break-in went undetected for 12 days, giving the hackers ample time to study internal documentation and steal valuable data with impunity.
Since 2016, approximately 5,576 cyber incidents have been registered by BGD e-GOV CIRT, the government agency responsible for maintaining the country's cyber security.
