MOSCOW, December 2. /TASS/. Russia’s leading financial group VTB and the biggest lender Sberbank said on Friday cyber threats have not affected their activities.
Earlier in the day, Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) announced that foreign special services were plotting a series of cyber attacks starting from December 5 aimed at destabilizing the country’s financial system, including the activity of major Russian banks.
"The security systems of the group’s banks meet all the latest requirements and guarantee full protection of our clients’ operations," the press service of the VTB Group told TASS.
Sberbank, the third largest bank in Europe, said it is "working in a normal mode."
"Sberbank does not comment on other news within the competence of law enforcement agencies," the bank said.
Russia’s Central Bank, the main regulator of the country’s banking industry, said it knows about the cyber threats and is constantly cooperating with law enforcers and the banks. "The situation is under control. The necessary recommendations have been given to the banks," the press service said.
The regulator also stressed that it held a meeting with Russia’s Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications and telecom operators. The sides agreed on top priority measures to prevent these attacks.
"Such attempts to destabilize the situation have been already seen, for example in late 2014. Joint steps of credit organizations with the support of the Bank of Russia allowed countering negative trends caused by a targeted information attack," it said.