ShinyHunters Attack National Credit Information Center of Vietnam

ShinyHunters targeted Vietnam’s National Credit Information Centre (CIC), with signs of unauthorized access identified by the Vietnam Cyber Emergency Response Team (VNCERT) as an attempt to steal personal data. According to VNCERT, leaked data samples reference leading Vietnamese financial institutions such as VietCredit, MB Bank, Ocean Bank, VPBank, Sacombank, and Agribank.

ShinyHunters claimed to have exploited an “n-day” vulnerability in end-of-life software used by CIC, and because the software was no longer supported, no security patches were available. Unlike many ransomware campaigns, the group did not attempt to extort CIC; instead, they listed the data for sale on a hacking forum on the Dark Web, providing a large sample as proof.

Authorities have launched an official investigation, with the Department of Cybersecurity and major state-owned technology partners mobilised to assess the breach and identify exploited vulnerabilities. The incident prompted comments from Vietnam News and Reuters, noting potential impacts on banks’ cybersecurity costs and broader financial risk, while the central bank urged continued IT security and protection of customers’ information.