The former head of the SWIFT Leonard I have been admitted, that the top managers of this system of exchange of banking information for several years knew about the vulnerability of data transfer terminals small credit organizations, but ignored them. On Wednesday, August 17, according to Reuters.
“They (the leaders of the SWIFT — approx. “Of the tape.<url>”) were focused on other things. They did not pay attention to the task at SWIFT security and reliability. Part of the responsibility lies with me” — leads the Agency of his word.
On the security of the data transfer terminals didn’t pay much attention until February this year when hackers stole nearly $ 1 billion from the Central Bank of Bangladesh. In fact, they were able to withdraw only $ 81 million.
Top managers SWIFT either did not receive information about cyber attacks on banks or did not notice the attempts of fraudsters to illegally withdraw funds from their accounts, the Agency said.
In February 2016 during the attack on the Central Bank of Bangladesh, the attackers used malicious software that allowed them to erase the record of the unauthorized transfers. The regulator found the withdrawal immediately, because his employees only the next day found out that the exchange program with SWIFT terminal does not respond to commands. The system recognized the presence of hacker attacks, but refused to take responsibility for it.
SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) was founded in 1973. It is a cooperative society that provides authorized network of information exchange between banks. The system combines 10 thousand organizations from 209 countries, including about 600 Russian users. With its help banks and companies exchange information, for example, transmit the payment order and make deals. Annually through SWIFT orders for more than $ 6 trillion. I have been was the CEO of SWIFT from 1992 to 2007.
