Details from 15,000 Israeli credit card customers have been exposed by hackers on the internet, the Bank of Israel said, ArabianBussinnes journal reported
The cards have been blocked from further use in internet or telephone transactions and cardholders won't be liable for their misuse as a result of the leak, the central bank said in an emailed statement. The cards, which were issued by Israel Credit Cards, Isracard and Leumi Card, will be replaced, the central bank said.
"Details of credit card customers were recently exposed on the internet, as a result of hackers breaking into the websites of companies which maintained that information," the central bank said. "Any problem should be reported to the credit card companies as soon as possible."
Israel's Army Radio reported early today that a group of computer hackers claiming to be of Saudi Arabian origin had taken credit for exposing the information in a statement they posted on an Israeli sports website. The hackers broke into the websites of companies that maintained the information, the central bank said.
Dov Kotler, chief executive officer of Tel Aviv-based Isracard, said that details from about 6,600 cards of the 3.3 million issued by the company were exposed on the Internet.
"The company invests heavily every year to prevent misuse of its cards, and will continue to do so," Kotler said in an emailed statement.