SBI Identifies 3,897 Customer Records in Suspected Dark Web Data Leak

The State Bank of India (SBI) has identified 3,897 customer records containing personally identifiable information in data suspected to have been exposed on the dark web, according to a preliminary analysis. The bank has launched a detailed investigation into the incident, news agency ANI reported.

SBI reportedly received alerts about the suspected data exposure on October 16 from its Threat Intelligence Service Provider, the Defence Cyber Agency and CERT-In.

The potentially exposed data includes customers’ names, dates of birth, gender, registered mobile numbers, email addresses and residential addresses. It also reportedly contains bank branch details, Customer Information File (CIF) numbers, lead IDs, metadata linked to loan and lead records, and other related files.

As part of its preliminary analysis, SBI examined approximately 3.75 lakh records found on the dark web and identified 3,897 records containing personally identifiable information (PII).

Following the alert, the bank promptly activated its cyber incident response and containment protocols. It has also engaged an independent cybersecurity agency empanelled by CERT-In to conduct a comprehensive assessment and determine the nature and extent of the suspected data breach.

SBI clarified that the incident has had no material impact on its core business operations, financial performance or business continuity. The bank’s core services continue to function normally without disruption.

Meanwhile, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has repeatedly warned financial institutions about cybersecurity risks that could threaten financial stability. According to a Bloomberg report, nearly one-third of the 43 banks and shadow lenders surveyed by the central bank reported a moderate or significant increase in cyber risks compared with the previous year.