NBU advises banks to create backup communication channels amid cyberattack on Kyivstar

Deputy Governor of the National Bank of Ukraine Oleksiy Shaban urged banks to consider using backup communication channels amid a cyberattack on Kyivstar that provoked a large-scale disruption in the operator's operations, the NBU reported, UNN reported.

Details

According to the NBU, the vast majority of ATMs and self-service terminals are operating normally. Bank branches are operating smoothly. Cashless payments are being made as usual.

There are also no difficulties in the operation of mobile applications of banks, they function stably, as they mostly use other elements of multifactor authentication rather than SMS messages to log in and confirm transactions.

The NBU emphasized that problems arise only with the operation of POS terminals of the retail network operating with Kyivstar mobile communication.

"Currently, banks are already actively addressing this situation by reconfiguring the non-working POS terminals to work via other mobile operators or Wi-Fi," the NBU said.

Also, NBU Deputy Governor Oleksiy Shaban urged banks to consider using backup communication channels.

We already have experience with backup communication channels, which are equipped with bank branches and data centers, so I propose to consider the possibility of implementing such an approach together with the operators of national retail networks and to the work of banking infrastructure, in particular POS terminals

In addition, he urged financial market participants to be vigilant, strengthen the level of information security and comply with the NBU's requirements in this area.

As a reminder

Kyivstar said that due to a technical failure in the network, there were problems with access to mobile communications and the Internet. "Kyivstar attributed the large-scale outage to a powerful hacker attack.

Hackers managed to breach the security of one of the national mobile operators Kyivstar through a compromised account of one of its employees.