Hong Kong banks maintain normal operations amid Microsoft outage, HKMA says
Hong Kong's banking regulator says all retail banks' critical systems are functioning normally after a global Microsoft services outage. The authority warns the public to watch for scammers exploiting the incident, and the Banking Association advises against clicking suspicious links or sharing pers
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) said on 13 November that it is aware of a global disruption affecting some Microsoft services and is closely monitoring the situation and its potential impact on banking services. A spokesperson for the authority stated that all critical systems of retail banks in Hong Kong, including deposit and transfer functions, are maintaining normal operations. The HKMA said it will continue to maintain close communication with banks and monitor developments.
The HKMA reminded the public to stay vigilant against scammers who may use the incident to pretend to offer technical support in an attempt to obtain account login details. It also warned people not to click on suspicious hyperlinks or disclose sensitive information such as payment card data, login passwords or one-time passwords to anyone.
The Hong Kong Banking Association also urged the public to be alert to the possibility of criminals sending fraudulent messages exploiting the incident. The association said scammers may impersonate Microsoft, banks or related institutions, using system faults or updates as a pretext to send phishing messages that demand immediate action, in an attempt to obtain personal or financial information.
The association called on the public to carefully verify the identity of senders when receiving messages purportedly from banks, and not to click on suspicious links or open questionable attachments. It also advised against logging into accounts or providing personal information through unverified channels. Anyone receiving a suspicious message claiming to be from a bank should contact the relevant bank directly to confirm its authenticity.
