The hacking of dozens of home pages by a group claiming to be ISIS and a newly discovered FREAK flaw emphasizes the need to protect against vulnerabilities, even in mobile banking channels.

Much attention recently revolved around the hacking of numerous North American websites, including one belonging to a Montana credit union. In the web attacks, invaders placed an ISIS flag banner on home pages. There is no indication that the individuals launching the hacks had any real connection to ISIS, but they did share two common elements—their use of the WordPress content management platform and the exploitation of a known vulnerability in a plug-in with an available patch.

While the name ISIS garnered headlines in the hack attack, it misdirected the attention. Lonny Brooks, manager of Security Services at Xamin, Inc., said, "It underscores the need for financial institutions to avoid the distraction of focusing on where attacks might come from and focus on the real issue: The financial institution's responsibility to investigate, identify and resolve their own technical weaknesses."