PETALING JAYA: Customers with compromised devices will be temporarily restricted from accessing banking apps as banks in Malaysia roll out a feature that detects high-risk malware and suspicious remote access.
In a statement yesterday, the Association of Banks Malaysia (ABM) and Association of Islamic Banking and Financial Institutions Malaysia (Aibim) said the feature, called malware shielding, will be embedded within the banks’ native mobile banking apps.
Both organisations stated that the feature is designed to prevent unauthorised transactions, protect customers’ funds, and shield them from malware scams.
“It will essentially alert or block customers from conducting banking activities on compromised devices,” said the statement.
Banks that have enabled the feature on their mobile banking apps include Alliance Bank, AmBank, Bank Muamalat, Bank Simpanan Nasional, CIMB Bank, HSBC Bank, Maybank, MBSB Bank, OCBC Bank, Public Bank, RHB Bank, Standard Chartered, and UOB Bank.
“Emphasising customer privacy, malware shielding is only activated upon the customer launching the mobile banking app and does not run in the background 24/7,” said ABM chairman Datuk Khairussaleh Ramli in the statement.
He added that customers’ banking information and personal data will remain confidential.
Bank Negara governor Datuk Seri Abdul Rasheed Ghaffour said the fight against online scams is a shared responsibility, welcoming the move by banks to enhance online banking apps with added security features.
“This helps to create a more secure banking environment for all Malaysians. We also urge members of the public to remain vigilant against requests to download apps from unofficial sources,” he added.
Customers are advised to reach out to their banks’ 24/7 fraud hotline for assistance should they encounter a temporary restriction.
When contacted, National Cyber Security Agency (Nacsa) chief executive Dr Megat Zuhairy Megat Tajuddin said the measure is well-suited to address specific challenges faced by users in Malaysia as cyber threats are becoming increasingly sophisticated and prevalent.
“In 2023, 40% of the total incidents monitored by the National Cyber Coordination and Command Centre (NC4) were malware-related. In 2024, up until June, the NC4 handled 34% of incidents related to malware,” Megat Zuhairy said.
While the temporary restriction is regarded as an important preventive step, Megat Zuhairy said its effectiveness is also dependent on users.
“They need to adhere to recommended cyber hygiene practices such as to only download apps from official platforms and avoid performing online activities through unsecured WiFi networks,” he said.
Malaysia Cybersecurity Community rawSEC chairman Ts Tahrizi Tahreb said the malware shielding technology could potentially prevent several types of banking malware that are used by hackers to infiltrate devices and perform unauthorised financial transactions.
“Some of them include Cerberus which can mimic legitimate banking app interfaces to capture user credentials and one-time passwords through overlays and screenshots,” he said.
Tahrizi added that another type of malware called Gustuff has been known to target over 100 banking apps and can automate bank transactions on compromised devices.
“These malware types often exploit vulnerabilities in mobile banking applications, making them prime targets for shielding technologies,” he said.
Malaysia Cyber Consumer Association (MCCA) said the initiative represents a proactive approach to addressing the growing threat of cyberattacks on financial systems.
“However, MCCA also emphasises the importance of implementing this feature with caution, transparency, and a strong focus on user education,” its chairman Siraj Jalil said.
He added that the criteria used to define a “compromised device” must be transparent and precise.
“The effectiveness of such a solution hinges on its ability to accurately identify compromised devices without generating false positives. A significant number of false positives could lead to legitimate users being locked out of their banking apps, causing unnecessary frustration and potential financial disruption.
“If users find themselves frequently locked out of their apps, they might resort to using web-based banking solutions, which may not be as secure as the mobile apps, or they could turn to unofficial methods to bypass the restrictions, further exposing themselves to risks,” said Siraj.
Tahrizi said banks can further enhance security and customer protection by implementing some additional measures.
“Banks should regularly test their apps through application security testing (AST) and infrastructure security testing (IST). All identified issues should be tracked, with priority given to remediating critical and high vulnerabilities,” he added.
Customers also need to be constantly reminded of the latest potential online scam attempts.
“Ongoing education and awareness of safe mobile banking practices, such as recognising phishing attempts and avoiding suspicious downloads, can empower customers to protect themselves, and this is a very effective first line of defence,” he said.
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