Skip to main content

Virtually all banking web apps are vulnerable to hackers, study finds

Using a computer today feels a bit like walking through a minefield, at least when we are using them to access or share personal and sensitive information. That is particularly true for our financial information, where the wrong person getting access to our data could mean a whole lot of pain. According to a recent study, using our bank’s web application is one of the biggest mines that we probably don’t know about.

The news comes via security firm Positive Technologies, which looked at web application security in a recent report. The results are disturbing, to say the least, with every web application tested in 2017 having at least one vulnerability, and with 94 percent having at least one vulnerability that was characterized as “high-severity.”

Recommended Videos

According to Leigh-Anne Galloway, Positive Technologies’ cybersecurity resilience lead, “Web applications practically have a target painted on their back. A large number of unfixed, exploitable vulnerabilities is a windfall for hackers, who can use these flaws to steal sensitive information or access an internal network. Fortunately, most vulnerabilities can be discovered long before an attack ever happens. The key is to analyze application source code.”

Please enable Javascript to view this content

The results were even worse when looking strictly at banking and finance web applications, which made up 46 percent of the test group. Every one of the banking and finance web applications covered in the report suffered from high-severity vulnerabilities. As the organization points out, these applications are also the most attractive to hackers and so their vulnerabilities are of particular concern.

Furthermore, the data shows that 87 percent of banking and government web applications are open to attacks against users, with cross-site scripting vulnerabilities present in 82 percent of the tested web applications. That makes them good targets for phishing attacks that can infect user PCs with malware.

Clearly, the banking industry has work to do to clean up its web applications. As always, the presence of these kinds of vulnerabilities serve as a reminder that we all need to be constantly vigilant in monitoring our financial data, because we never know which online transaction will be the one that opens us up to an attack.

Mark Coppock
Mark Coppock is a Freelance Writer at Digital Trends covering primarily laptop and other computing technologies. He has…
Lenovo’s Surface Pro alternative is 45% off
The Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Gen 2 on a white background.

The Microsoft Surface Pro 11 is an excellent device, but if you're out there looking for an alternative, you may want to consider the Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable Gen 2, especially now that it's available from Lenovo at 45% off. Instead of its estimated value of $2,429, you can get it for only $1,336, for savings of $1,093. This clearance sale isn't going to last forever though, so if you don't want to miss out on one of the most interesting 2-in-1 laptop deals we've recently discovered, you better hurry and complete the transaction immediately.

Why you should buy the Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable Gen 2
The Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable Gen 2 is the much-anticipated sequel to the Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable, featuring updated components to keep up with the ever-growing need for faster performance. It's powered by the Intel Core Ultra 5 134U processor and integrated Intel Graphics, plus 16GB of RAM that our guide on how much RAM do you need says is found in top-tier machines. If you're always multitasking between apps for work or school, the Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable Gen 2 won't have trouble keeping up.

Read more
Nvidia’s RTX 5060 Ti might give AMD an unexpected edge
Logo on the RTX 4060 Ti graphics card.

Although still yet to be announced, Nvidia's RTX 5060 Ti is coming -- and according to leakers, it's coming soon. The card is said to be launching in two different models, much like the RTX 4060 Ti. However, the RTX 40-series equivalent really struggled to find its place among the best graphics cards.

I've been keeping tabs on various leaks related to the RTX 5060 Ti, and although there are some good news, it does seem that Nvidia is essentially creating an updated carbon copy of the RTX 4060 Ti. If there's one party that will benefit from such a decision, it's AMD with its competing graphics cards. For gamers, the RTX 5060 Ti might end up being a GPU that sounds great on paper but comes with its own challenges.
The RTX 5060 Ti will have a lot in common with its predecessor

Read more
Valve’s next VR headset could be coming after six long years
Valve VR headset patent Deckard?

Rumors about a new wireless VR headset from Valve (code-named Deckard) first started circulating in 2022, with only a few details popping up since then. Today, as reported by Wccftech, Valve leaker Gabe Follower posted a hefty collection of new information, including a potential $1,200 price tag and a 2025 launch date.

The full post reads:
"Several people have confirmed that Valve is aiming to release new standalone, wireless VR headset (codename Deckard) by the end of 2025. The current price for the full bundle is set to be $1200. Including some "in-house" games (or demos) that are already done. Valve want to give the user the best possible experience without cutting any costs. Even at the current price, it will be sold at a loss. A few months ago, we saw leaked models of controllers (codename Roy) in the SteamVR update. It will be using the same SteamOS from Steam Deck, but adapted for virtual reality. One of the core features is the ability to play flat-screen game that are already playable on Steam Deck, but in VR on a big screen without a PC. The first behind closed doors presentations could start soon."
Much like the Valve Index headset released in 2019, the rumored $1,200 price tag for the Deckard is pretty hefty. The tagline for the Index was "fidelity first" and it seems like the company will be taking a similar approach this time too, aiming for a high-end product for VR enthusiasts.

Read more