In a shocking cybersecurity breach, the official website of Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank), one of Nigeria’s largest financial institutions, has been compromised by hackers in a sophisticated phishing operation. The website, gtbank.com, became inaccessible on Wednesday night, leaving millions of customers vulnerable to potential data theft.
The breach occurred just a day after the bank renewed its domain name for another five years, from August 13, 2024, through March 21, 2029. Despite this renewal, the website was taken down, sparking concerns about the security of the bank’s online infrastructure.
As of now, no hacker group has claimed responsibility for the attack, which is believed to have begun on August 14. GTBank has yet to issue an official statement regarding the incident, and their spokesperson has not responded to requests for comments.
Cybersecurity experts warn that the attackers may have created a fake version of the GTBank website to harvest customers’ login credentials and sensitive information through phishing. This technique is a common strategy used by cybercriminals to deceive unsuspecting users into providing personal data that can be exploited for financial gain.
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According to a cybersecurity specialist familiar with the Nigerian banking sector, it’s possible that the bank’s login details were compromised, rather than the domain itself being stolen for resale. This type of breach could lead to significant financial losses for customers if their data is intercepted and misused.
The breach has caused widespread frustration among GTBank customers, many of whom took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to express their concerns. Users reported being unable to access the bank’s website to carry out transactions, raising alarms about the safety of their accounts.
In response, some GTBank representatives on X have urged customers to remain patient and to use alternative channels for their banking needs. They have assured customers that their mobile banking applications on Android and iOS remain fully operational and unaffected by the breach.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the growing cybersecurity threats facing Nigeria’s financial institutions. As one of the country’s leading banks with millions of customers across Nigeria and Africa, GTBank must act fast to restore its website’s security and reassure its users.
