Bangladesh Bank website down

Bangladesh Bank (BB) said on Thursday it took its official website offline to review security risks and put necessary protections in place, after users found the site inaccessible around 9 pm.

Upon entering the bank’s main website (bb.org.bd), the message “The Service is under Maintenance” is displayed.

It said, “Our service is currently undergoing scheduled maintenance. We will be back online shortly. Thank you for your patience. Bangladesh Bank.”

BB Executive Director and Spokesperson Arif Hossain Khan added, “The website of Bangladesh Bank has been kept closed to avoid the risk of global cyberattacks. This step has been taken as a precautionary measure to avoid security risks. The IT department of Bangladesh Bank is working to identify and resolve security vulnerabilities on the website. Hopefully, we will be able to reopen the website very soon.”

Recently, two serious security vulnerabilities were identified in PHP, a widely used programming language for website development and management. According to information from the cybersecurity firm Wiz, attackers could exploit these flaws to remotely execute unauthorized commands on servers.

As a result, files, databases, and important information stored on servers could be placed at risk. Government institutions in several countries, including France, the Netherlands, and Belgium, have kept their websites closed as a precautionary measure. However, identifying a security vulnerability does not necessarily mean that a website has been attacked.

PHP is a widely used server-based programming language. This technology is used in operating public and private institutions, news media, e-commerce platforms, and various online services. Many websites in Bangladesh are also PHP-based.