SWIFT tells banks to share information on hacks

Keeping mum: Wells Fargo, Ecuador's Banco del Austro and Citibank did not inform SWIFT of an attack last year.

LONDON:  International financial messaging service SWIFT told clients on Friday to share information on attacks on the system to help prevent hacking, after criminals used SWIFT messages to steal US$81mil (RM329.8mil) from the Bangladesh central bank.

Earlier on Friday, Reuters reported that Wells Fargo, Ecuador's Banco del Austro and Citibank, whose managing director, Franchise Risk & Strategy, Yawar Shah, is SWIFT's chairman, did not inform SWIFT of an attack last year in which more than US$12mil (RM48.88mil) was stolen from BDA.