Columbia Bank Notifies Clients Of Security Breach

Columbia Bank, the biggest depositor in Fair Lawn, has informed its online banking clients of a security failure that could compromise them to identity theft.

Hacking assumes various forms, from violating network defense, fiscal scam, and intrusion of confidentiality to identity theft. A cyber-terrorist or their group got hold of clients' identity and Social Security numbers. "The invasion impacted all our online banking clients," stated CEO Raymond G. Hallock on May 21, 2007, in a telephonic conversation, as published by North Jersey.com's May 21, 2007 issue.

According to Hallock, banking details and PINs of their clients were not filched. He refused to divulge the number of SSNs that had purportedly been stolen and instead furnished some other facts, for the fear of endangering the ongoing probes by both the New Jersey State Police and the FBI.

Hallock in his May 18, 2007 missive to clients' stated that the bank was offering complimentary credit supervision for one whole year. The bank also urged its clients to monitor the dubious activities involving credit card and financial statement for at least one year.

During another comparable incident a cautionary has been released about a fraud email alleging that the Australian banks have been invaded and online banking facilities have been inactivated from mid-week of May 2007, informs ABCNewsOnLine. The message leads clients to a particular site. According to Australian Bankers Association, the email should be erased since entering the site could activate a program that can register keystrokes. The Association alleges that the site can also entice users into divulging passcodes or PINs.

Nearly all types of firms have been struck by information security violation, from federal departments to renowned financial organizations. However, there are no signs of the trouble abating. Latest investigations conducted by the two computer security firms, Datamonitor and McAfee, revealed that roughly 60 per cent firms in America, Australia, Britain, Germany and France have had data disclosures in 2006, few of which could have caused terrible information loss like the latest stealing of 46m PIN numbers from TK Maxx, the discount apparel chain informs the mid-week of May, 2007 edition of Financial Times.

Related article: Colombian Resident Found Guilty of Identity Theft

» SPAMfighter News - 5/30/2007