Qatar National Bank (QNB) Data Breach of 2016
Incident Summary: In 2016, the internal systems of Qatar National Bank (QNB)—the largest financial institution in the Middle East by assets—were compromised. Around 1.4–1.5 GB of sensitive data was leaked online, including:
- Customer names and account details
- Passwords and credit card information
- Personal data such as phone numbers and birthdates
Impacted Parties:
- Thousands of QNB customers (primarily Qatar-based)
- QNB’s brand reputation and customer trust
QNB’s Response Timeline:
- Initial Response: QNB called reports “social media speculation.”
- Later Clarification: They acknowledged reputational damage but claimed “no financial impact” on customers.
Investigation and Aftermath: The bank maintained that accounts were secure, but many customers changed credentials. The breach remains one of the largest in Qatar’s history.
Resources: Al Jazeera, The Peninsula
Qatar News Agency (QNA) Hack – May 2017
Incident summary: Hackers infiltrated the QNA website and its social media accounts, posting fake quotes attributed to the Emir of Qatar on May 23, 2017, at 11:45 PM.
Impacted Parties:
- The State of Qatar
- The Gulf region (false news helped trigger the 2017 blockade)
- QNA staff, whose credentials were compromised
Investigation and Aftermath:
- Qatar’s Ministry of Interior launched an investigation.
- The Government Communications Office (GCO) confirmed it was part of a smear campaign.
- The FBI assisted in tracing IPs and techniques used in the attack.
Resources: Al Jazeera, The Guardian, CNN