Business hacks are increasing, accentuating the risk of theft of your banking and personal data. The Bouygues Telecom group was the victim of a cyber attack leading to the leakage of data of “6.4 million customer accounts”, including IBAN.
Sensitive information that hackers can use against victims. This Thursday, Air France-KLM was the victim of “fraudulent access” to personal data concerning some of its customers. The operator Orange also underwent a cyber attack at the end of July.
If your International Banking Account identifier (IBAN) has leaked, you must be all the more vigilant. Theoretically, a fraudster who would hold him could not issue any transfer without the agreement of the account holder, via the signing of a SEPA mandate.
A real risk
Except that with an IBAN and other personal data, a gifted hacker could usurp your identity and set up bank direct debits. It is a “very difficult” maneuver because the “financial organizations are watching”, explained Benoît Grunemwald, cybersecurity expert from ESET, interviewed this Thursday.
However, “some organizations are less attentive” and it is indeed possible that a person can subscribe to consumer credits in your name, continued the expert in our columns.
To avoid any risk of fraudulent sample, it is possible to activate a white list on your bank account. Unlike a black list, we find all the approved beneficiaries to which a customer can transfer funds, thus reducing the risk of fraud.
The white list, a way to protect your account
To create a white list, the account holder must directly contact his bank advisor to communicate to him the creditors authorized to take samples via IBAN. Most of the time, the references of the accounts already authorized are pre-indicated.
It is possible to add others thanks to a SEPA creditor identifier (ICS) or to the single mandate reference (RUM). The list can be constantly modified. The association of Consumers UFC-Que Choisir provides on its site a model of letter to send to its banker.
All banks are forced to provide their customers with the opportunity to create a white list. However, according to Numerama, some establishments do not mention it in their customer spaces, or even charge this safety measure.