Photo by Shahrill Basri/The Edge

KUALA LUMPUR (July 24): Malayan Banking Bhd (KL:MAYBANK), Malaysia’s biggest banking group by assets, said on Wednesday that its systems remain secure, in response to a purported sale of its main banking site's database on a dark web forum.

All customer information is fully protected, Maybank said in a statement posted on its verified X and Facebook social media accounts. “Nevertheless, we take these security concerns very seriously, and continue to monitor and ensure our data is protected at all times,” it said.

The statement follows a news report on Lowyat.NET about a listing of a database allegedly containing up to 22 million records of customers belonging to Maybank up for sale on a popular dark web marketplace. The listing has since been removed.

Previous alleged data leaks in December 2022 involving Maybank as well as pay-television operator Astro Malaysia Holdings Bhd (KL:ASTRO) were later found to have not matched company data, authorities said following investigations into the claims.

Maybank reiterated in the statement on Wednesday that it had put in place various countermeasures against fraud, including the use of Secure2u to authenticate transactions, and a cooling off period for high-risk transactions, which could continue to protect its customers’ online transactions.

“We would like to remind our customers to always remain vigilant and protect their information,” Maybank added. “Please keep your user ID, password and personal details safe, and be cautious of malware, WhatsApp messages, phishing sites and phone calls requesting your credentials.”