Bank of Baroda confirms employee email breach, starts probe

State-owned Bank of Baroda has confirmed a cybersecurity incident involving unauthorized access to data via a compromised employee email account, prompting a forensic investigation and raising concerns over the security of customer information. The bank stated its core banking systems were not breached and remain secure, but did not confirm the volume or specific nature of the data accessed.

The incident came to light over the weekend of July 25-26, 2026, after cybersecurity researcher Srikanth Lakshmanan identified a dataset advertised on a dark web marketplace. According to his analysis and media reports, the cache was advertised as containing more than 700 gigabytes of information, with some online claims suggesting it could be as large as 1 terabyte. The bank issued its official statement on Monday, July 27, 2026, acknowledging the email compromise and the launch of an investigation.

Bank of Baroda said immediate containment measures were implemented after the incident was promptly identified. The bank is now working closely with relevant authorities in line with regulatory requirements. It has not disclosed how many customers may have been affected.