Business · Malaysia Bureau
India orders Google to remove Firebase accounts used in banking fraud scheme
Indian authorities have directed Google to shut down multiple Firebase accounts that were being exploited to host phishing pages impersonating major banks. The action follows discovery of a coordinated scam targeting customers of State Bank of India, ICICI Bank and Axis Bank.
LSN Malaysia ·
India's regulatory authorities issued three separate notices to Google in August after identifying a pattern of fraudulent activity involving the tech giant's Firebase platform. The notices targeted Firebase accounts that were being used to host phishing pages designed to deceive customers of India's largest financial institutions.
The scam involved creating fake login pages that mimicked the official websites and mobile interfaces of State Bank of India, ICICI Bank and Axis Bank. Cybercriminals used these counterfeit pages to harvest sensitive customer credentials, including login details and personal financial information.
Firebase, Google's cloud application development platform, provides hosting services that can be easily deployed by users. The platform's accessibility has made it an attractive target for fraudsters seeking to quickly deploy phishing infrastructure with minimal technical barriers.
The incident underscores growing concerns across South Asia regarding the exploitation of legitimate cloud services by cybercriminals. Indian authorities have intensified efforts to work with technology companies to rapidly identify and remove fraudulent content that targets the country's financial sector and consumers.