GTBank acknowledges attempt to compromise website, guarantees no data breach has occurred
Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) has confirmed a recent isolated attempt to compromise its website domain. In a statement released on Thursday, the bank addressed media reports suggesting that hackers had taken control of and cloned its website to intercept customer data.
GTBank clarified, “We are aware of media reports alleging that our website was seized, cloned, and used to capture customer data. While there was indeed an isolated attempt to compromise our website domain, we assure all our customers and stakeholders that our website has not been cloned, and we do not store customer data on our website. Therefore, no customer data has been compromised.”
The bank added that its information security team is actively working to restore the domain settings. “Our dedicated Information Security Experts are working around the clock to resolve the issue,” the statement said.
GTBank urged customers to disregard the media claims and reaffirmed its commitment to data security. “We urge all our customers to ignore the claims in these media reports and assure you of our unwavering commitment to safeguarding customer data,” the bank concluded.
On Thursday that many Nigerian social media users, particularly on X (formerly Twitter), have expressed concerns over the alleged hacking of GTBank’s website. Users shared screenshots of the supposed compromised site, raising fears about the security of their personal and financial information.
One user, Serah Ibrahim, claimed that the suspected hacking began on the night of August 14, 2024. Ibrahim suggested that the hackers had added an extra HTTP layer to the website in a phishing attempt to steal customer data. She also noted that the domain name had recently been renewed for five years.
Concerns were raised about whether GTBank had implemented DNSSEC, which might have prevented or mitigated the hack. The bank’s mobile applications appeared unaffected by the incident. Some users speculated that the attack could lead to job losses among GTBank staff.
