Press
Cyber-Attack could Target Ohio Banks, Credit Unions
Ohio Bankers, Credit Union Leagues warn of possible disruption of online banking systems
COLUMBUS, OH (May 6, 2013) U.S. financial institutions, including some in Ohio, have been threatened by a potential cyber-attack that could render online banking services unavailable tomorrow, Tuesday, May 7. The Ohio Bankers League and Ohio Credit Union League are warning customers/members of all financial institutions that an interruption of service due to an attack does not threaten the security of individual’s account(s), but could temporarily hamper their ability to conduct transactions online.
Internet activist group Anonymous has said it will target the websites of financial institutions and government agencies with Distributed Denial of Service attacks – a type of cyber-attack where the sites are flooded with an extremely high volume of electronic traffic from thousands of locations around the world. This flood of traffic has the potential to crowd out legitimate customers trying to use the financial institution’s website.
If your financial institution’s online platform is not operating, please contact your bank or credit union directly to report the outage.
About the Ohio Credit Union League
The Ohio Credit Union League, with offices in Columbus, is a state trade association representing 365 credit unions. Credit unions are not-for-profit financial institutions owned and democratically-controlled by their members. Ohio credit unions provide savings, loans, and other consumer financial services to 2.73 million members. To learn more, visit www.aSmarterChoice.org.
About the Ohio Bankers League
The Ohio Bankers League is the trade association for the Ohio banking industry – and is Ohio’s only organization focused on meeting the needs of all banks and thrifts in the Buckeye State. For more than 100 years, the OBL has been the voice of the Ohio banking industry fostering a cooperation that has made it one of the strongest and most reputable financial trade associations in the country. By linking banks, bankers, and industry experts – and by pooling their intellectual and capital resources – the OBL serves as a powerful creator of knowledge and collective resources. The non-profit association is comprised of 200 FDIC-insured financial institutions including commercial banks, savings banks, and savings and loan associations ranging in size from just over $13 million in assets to more than $1.5 trillion.