Fault was detected on the same day and the publication was immediately removed; there was no exposure of participants’ passwords or financial data
announced a security incident that resulted in the leakage of personal data of 1,500 individuals who participated in the survey entitled “Brazilians and the habits of using payment methods”. The problem occurred during the publication of the research results, carried out on November 29, 2024, when sensitive information was accidentally exposed. The flaw was detected on the same day and the post was immediately removed. The data that was disclosed included information such as name, address, telephone number, gender, ethnicity, age, education, marital status, income level and employment status, as well as answers to other research questions. It is important to highlight that there was no exposure of participants’ passwords or financial data. The Central Bank has committed to notifying those affected by correspondence.
The Central Bank also issued an alert for participants to be vigilant regarding possible fraud attempts, especially if they receive calls that mention their payment method usage habits. Although the note did not detail the origin of the error, the BC assured that the corrective measures were implemented in accordance with the General Personal Data Protection Law (LGPD). The situation highlights the importance of information security and the need for financial institutions to adopt rigorous practices to protect their users’ personal data.
Published by Sarah Paula
*Report produced with the help of AI
