BB installing monitoring software

To stop any further hacking of its network, Bangladesh Bank is installing monitoring software on all its computers that would instantly alert the IT department of any cyber attack or suspicious activity.

This would also help BB officials monitor whether any malicious software got installed.

The installation of the new software began last week after hackers stole $101 million last month from a BB account at New York Federal Reserve Bank.

US-based FireEye Inc has provided the BB with the monitoring software through World Informatix, an Indian IT firm.

Following the cyber heist, an investigation by World Informatix found that hackers installed a malware in the BB network, gathered the bank's confidential information and stole the money.

A central bank official said questions have surfaced whether the malware was installed through any BB official's computer.

Meanwhile, some officials have been opposing installation of the monitoring software on their PCs.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a BB official said he is opposed to installing the new software without adequate scrutiny.

BB HIRES INFORMATIX

Soon after the heist, the central bank appointed World Informatix to improve its IT infrastructure. The firm has been hired for three years under a World Bank project, according to a BB official.

The appointment of the firm was under process, but it was expedited once the hacking came into light. The central bank's board of directors approved the appointment last week.

The official said the company will have an additional responsibility to unearth the heist and ensure measures for future protection of the BB network.

The central bank had put “zero tolerance security” and robust firewalls in place in the back office of its foreign currency division. But the cyber gang used a powerful malware to break the firewall and managed to send fake payment orders to the US bank, added the official.

BB spokesperson Shubhankar Saha said Rakesh Asthana, founder of World Informatix, has been appointed as the IT governance specialist after the BB became convinced of his qualifications and vast work experience.