To safeguard their banking accounts against cyber threats, member banks of The Association of Banks in Malaysia (ABM) and Association of Islamic Banking and Financial Institutions Malaysia (AIBIM) today call for customers to ensure that their web browsers and mobile devices are running on the latest version to defend against cyber vulnerabilities and stay safe from scams.
By updating their web browsers and mobile devices to the latest versions, customers will receive the latest security patches, strengthening protection against cyber threats and malware.
The banking industry urges all customers to update to the latest web browser versions and mobile operating systems (OS). Devices running on older or unsupported versions are more exposed to threats and may no longer receive important security updates from developers such as Apple, Google and Mozilla.
In efforts to mitigate malware risks, banks may introduce additional verification measures, reduce transaction limits or impose other forms of restriction for customers using unsupported versions. Banks may also proactively block transactions originating from these versions, to protect customers. This added layer of protection helps enhance security for customers, ultimately safeguarding their funds and ensuring their financial peace of mind.
To update to the latest versions, customers are advised to follow these simple steps:
On web browsers
- Open the web browser and navigate to ‘Settings’ or ‘Help’
- Check for available updates. If found, download or install the latest version
- Restart the web browser to complete the installation
On mobile devicesÂ
- Open the Settings app and navigate to System or Software Update (for Android) or General (for iOS)
- Check for available updates. If found, download or install the latest version
- Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation
The steps could differ depending on the manufacturer’s settings.
To protect themselves, banks urge customers to only download apps from official mobile app stores. Customers with vintage or obsolete devices are encouraged to update to a newer model, in order to receive regular security patches.
Current mobile operating systems supported by Google and Apple respectively are for Android versions 13 and above, and iOS versions 18 and above. To find out the latest supported OS, customers may visit endoflife.date/android and endoflife.date/ios.
For web browsers, the following versions and below are considered insecure by the browsers’ developers – Google Chrome Version 140, Firefox Version 141 and Safari Version 18.5. Customers may visit browser-update.org to keep updated on the latest browser versions.Â
The banking industry remains committed to a safer and more secure banking. During the transition, customers will be provided with guidance outlining browser and mobile OS requirements and timelines. In addition, some banks, working with selected device partners, will offer discounted prices or bundled packages for eligible customers upgrading their mobile devices.
For assistance, customers can contact their banks via branches, call centres, or official social channels. For full details on each bank’s specific browser and mobile OS version requirements, customers are encouraged to reach out to their banks directly.
Customers who suspect they have fallen victim to scams are urged to activate ‘Kill Switch’ immediately to halt any or further losses. They are also encouraged to contact the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) at 997 or their respective banks’ 24/7 fraud hotlines for assistance.
Source: The Association of Banks in Malaysia (Press Release)
