This morning the Superintendent of Banks, Ruth Arregui, appeared to talk about what happened with the Bank since October 9
The Superintendent of Banks, Ruth Arregui, revealed this morning what has been –according to the latest report from Banco Pichincha– the origin of the cyber incidents that were generated since last October 9 and that caused inconvenience to their users by not being able to carry out transactions, mainly in electronic channels.
The head of the financial system control body said that the bank defines what happened as a cybersecurity attack, which has constituted “a criminal, unforeseen and irresistible act, committed by expert and internationally known attackers”. He reported it to the Economic Development Commission, chaired by Daniel Noboa Azín, that summoned various control and justice authorities, as well as private companies to issue information on the case of Banco Pichincha and the protection that should be in the use of personal data.
Additionally, Banco Pichincha had ratified in that report that as a financial entity it does have standardized security levels.
Arregui explained that the interference occurred at the level of distribution channels: the web, mobile banking and non-bank correspondents. He explained that the savings accounts were not blocked at any time.
He also reported on all the actions taken regarding the case and, in general, how to act with risk supervision processes and the security plans that exist.
It established how the crisis was handled and the recommendation made by the Superintendency to carry out a internal audit, a forensic audit, that the Bank keep the public informed in a transparent manner and that it provide compensatory measures to its affected clients.
He considered that the Bank will make the necessary complaints before the courts for the crime of which he has been a victim.
Arregui also explained that between Friday, October 8 and 9, the bank informed him that it was testing his data center alternate. But then the Bank reported the incident indicating that intermittences were generated in its channels.
He also appeared María Villagómez, prosecutor of Guayas, who explained that at the moment no complaints have been received in her province from bank clients who have felt affected due to the failures of electronic channels. In any case, it did indicate that the necessary tools to carry out investigations in these cases do not exist. On the one hand, there is only one Cybercrime Investigation Unit in Pichincha. In addition, in Guayas there are only four experts appointed by the Police for these same issues. (I)
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