State Bank of India has identified 3,897 customer records containing personally identifiable information in data suspected to have been exposed on the dark web, prompting the lender to begin a detailed investigation and activate its cyber incident response protocols.
The bank was alerted to the suspected exposure through communications received on October 16 from its threat intelligence service provider, the Defence Cyber Agency and the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team, or CERT-In, according to a report by news agency ANI cited by Hindustan Times.
SBI said its preliminary analysis involved examining around 3,75,000 records found on the dark web. Of these, 3,897 records were identified as containing personally identifiable information. The bank said the exposed data reportedly included customer names, dates of birth, gender, registered mobile numbers, email addresses and home addresses.
The records also contained branch details, customer information file numbers, lead IDs and metadata linked to loan and lead records, along with other related files. SBI said a comprehensive investigation was required to establish the authenticity and completeness of the data and determine the nature and extent of any compromise.
The lender has engaged an independent cybersecurity agency empanelled by CERT-In to conduct the assessment. SBI said it initiated its cyber incident response and containment protocols promptly after receiving the alert.
The bank also said the incident had no material impact on its core business operations, financial performance or business continuity. Its core business functions were continuing normally, it added.
The suspected exposure comes as Indian banks and financial institutions face growing cyber risks involving customer information and operational systems. The Reserve Bank of India has repeatedly warned lenders about such threats and their potential implications for financial stability. A Bloomberg report cited in the Hindustan Times article said nearly one-third of 43 banks and shadow lenders surveyed by the central bank reported a moderate or significant rise in cyber risks compared with the previous year.
The incident follows a similar data breach reported by Bank of Baroda in July, according to the report. Data breaches can expose financial institutions to regulatory scrutiny, reputational damage and loss of customer trust, although SBI has not reported any disruption to its business operations in connection with the suspected exposure.
SBI’s independent cybersecurity assessment and its determination of the authenticity, completeness and source of the data will establish the next stage of the response.
