PRESS: VEB’s Globexbank turns out hacked via SWIFT, loses $1 mln

MOSCOW, Dec 20 (PRIME) -- Globexbank, a subsidiary of Russian state Vnesheconombank (VEB), has fallen victim to the hackers that stole from it an amount equal to U.S. $1 million through the SWIFT system, reportedly the first case in the country, business daily Vedomosti said on Wednesday, referring to several sources.

The hacked bank’s President Valery Ovsyannikov confirmed the effort of an attack earlier in December, but said that “clients’ money was not affected.” He did not say whether the bank itself had borne any losses or not.

Business news daily Kommersant reported on Tuesday that Russia had witnessed a successful attack allegedly by hacker group Cobalt on one of its banks with money being withdrawn abroad through SWIFT for the first time. A central bank spokesperson confirmed that the successful attack took place on December 15, while no further details were officially disclosed.

Two people close to payment security told Vedomosti that it could be not the first case when perpetrators succeeded in withdrawing money via SWIFT.

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