Financial Crime World

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Financial Institution Security Breaches Rock Egypt as Hacktivists Leak Payment Data

A recent wave of hacktivist activity has been detected in Egypt, with a group of attackers targeting financial institutions and leaking large volumes of compromised payment data on the Dark Web. The campaign, dubbed “EG Leaks” or “Egypt Leaks,” has been linked to a Telegram channel where Excel files containing 12,229 credit card details were leaked.

Stolen Data Includes Personal Identifiable Information

The stolen data includes personal identifiable information (PII) belonging to customers of major Egyptian banks, including:

  • National Bank of Egypt
  • HSBC Bank Egypt
  • Bank of Alexandria
  • Banque Misr
  • Alexbank
  • Credit Agricole Egypt
  • And several others

While some of the data appears incomplete, experts confirm that it contains multiple valid customer details.

Research and Investigation

Researchers at Resecurity, a California-based cybersecurity firm, first detected the activity and have been tracking the group’s movements. According to experts, the source of the leaked data may be linked to one of the compromised underground marketplaces, with the actor previously investigated by Resecurity’s HUNTER unit, the company’s threat intelligence and research arm.

Leaked Data Fields

The leaked data includes:

  • Email addresses
  • Billing information
  • First and last names
  • Bank name
  • Card type

While CVV or Track 2 Data has not been shared, the attackers demonstrated other fields confirming the legitimacy of the data in a private conversation.

Motivation and Impact

The motivation behind the attack is believed to be financially driven, with the hackers attempting to extort affected consumers or demonstrate their capabilities to secure ransom. The released data may be used for identity theft and financial fraud, emphasizing the importance of swift action to minimize the impact.

Geographic Distribution

The geography of the affected banking clients is primarily centered in Cairo (70%), but also includes:

  • Alexandria (12%)
  • Aswan (8%)
  • Giza (7%)
  • Sohag (2%)
  • Luxor (1%)
  • And other major cities
  • Customers from Bahrain and Saudi Arabia have been identified in the leak

Response and Investigation

Law enforcement authorities are currently investigating the incident. Experts warn that it is crucial to take swift action to minimize the impact of this security breach.

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