Taipei, Aug. 22 (CNA) CTBC Bank, one of Taiwan's top financial institutions, was fined NT$4 million (US$134,000) Thursday for accidentally leaking the personal information of some 33,000 of its e-banking customers.
The error allowed the average Internet user to view confidential data, intended for CTBC Bank staff only, for an undisclosed period of time in May, the Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) said in meting out the fine.
The bank failed to install a system check that would have alerted it to the fact that the information was accessible to non-employees, FSC officials said.
CTBC Bank reportedly discovered the breach only after some of its online banking customers contacted the bank, saying they were receiving unsolicited calls from marketing companies.
The bank has since communicated with the affected customers and there have been no reports of financial losses as a result of the security breach, the officials said.
There have been similar incidents at the bank but it is the first time that it has been fined, they said.
CTBC Bank has since proposed measures to improve its information system in order to better protect personal data, the officials said without giving details.
Formerly known as Chinatrust Commercial Bank, the institution was renamed CTBC Bank Co. Ltd. in June.
