Saudi Bank Hack
I am not really surprised that the Bank of Riyadh’s homepage was hacked, banks are the second most sites for hacking attacks after “energy” companies. However, the bank’s homepage with information and the bank’s contact details and latest offers is one thing, and the bank’s online banking system are two different entities with different protocols and security levels.
While banks in the US are FDIC insured, banks in Saudi are monitored by the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency, and that includes all banks whether it is the Samba (sounds like the dance, but it used to be the Saudi American Bank, Citibank to be precise) or SABB (previously the Saudi British Bank, HSBC) or any other bank, Al-Hollandi, Al-Fransi, Aljazira (not affiliated with the channel by the same name as far as I know), Alahli, Alarabi or Albilad (I think I missed one or two) meaning money does not disappear… unless you think you can play the stock market… but that is another story.
The thing that surprised me was that the hacker’s cause for hacking was to send a message to King Abdullah, I am not sure who the King banks with, or if he checks his account personally (even Biggie may he rest in peace said that his “phone bill is about two G’s flat, no need to worry my accountant handles that”) so I do not think the King checks his bank account personally on a computer or his mobile device.
Which brings me to my wish, I wish that customer services at the banks improve to the degree of their security (of course at banks the level of customer service improves exponentially as your bank account increases, and that is all over the world) and that they have dedicated iPhone and mobile interfaces, most Saudi Banks still recommend using internet explorer to access their system, and that might be the biggest flaw with their system 
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someone got some serious taste when it comes to beats.
It takes one to know one
It is the wrong venue to post a public message or complaint
I know, he or they should’ve hacked some other bank
LOL
Nice photo and pic. Rather discouraging thinking a bank’s site could be hacked even to this extent, but then I am rather sensitive to hacking these days.
My own bank (one of the ones listed above
) had an all round something hacking that meant bank cards wouldn’t function in the the ATMs–nice to learn on a Saturday evening right after ALL the branches closed.
Bank accounts are only insured to a certain maximum, eg $100, 000 in Canada, so for those who have it, best to spread your wealth around a little!
Thanks for letting me know about the limit, I am now in the process of calling my accountant to spread my money over other Canadian bank accounts, it does mean I will lose my free gold visa and master card, but better safe than sorry
Let me know if you run out of banks and accounts, and you can put a few hundred thousand in accounts in my name, and I promise not to touch a penny…not one…no seriously…even if I am stranded in London and I owe the hotel 1500 pounds and the embassy won’t help me out, I would honour this agreement. Your Saudi gazillions would be safe!
