Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesian banks have been urged to update their system of information technology so that they could protect themselves from possible cyber attacks that have become more and more massive.

Bank Indonesia Governor Agus Martowardojo said here on Monday hackers or virus attackers continued to innovate and find loopholes in the IT system and so banking industry and other financial sectors must update their security standard.

His statement came in the midst of increasing alertness following global virus attack by so-called ""Petya" after global system of IT routed by "Ransomware Wannacry".

"All who use technology applications must use the latest version. The latest version usually has been given features to prevent possible cyber attacks," Martowardojo said.

"We must not be offguard. We must be prepared because there will certsinly be other innovations that could disrupt the system," he said.

The general chairman of the State-owned Banks Association, Maryono, said that until Monday there had been no report coming from four state-owned banks - three of them controlling banking markets -being attacked by Peyya virus.

"Usually if one bank is hit and so will the others but so far we have received no teport about it," he said.

The chief of PT. Bank Central Asia Tbk. which is the countrys largest private bank said Petya did not disrupt the banking system. Howevet cyber attack has been rife to give a warning for banks to improve their IT security system.

"We will keep safeguarding it. Thank God there has been no problem so far," BCA president director Jahja Setiaatmadja said.

The ministry of informatics and communication has earlier called on the people and heads of institutions to take anticipatory measures against global Ransonware Petya cyber attack by preparing backup and updating their IT security system.

Indonesias financial industry including capital market is worth more than Rp16,000 trillion and so security system in the industry is a very important pillar to maintain trust and sustainability of the industry which also serves as a source of development funding.

Petya was first known after infecting the server in Russias biggest oil company and disrupted the operation of a bank in Ukraine and paralyzed computers in multinational shipping and advertising companies.

Petya-infected computer will show a message telling that the system has been blocked and its owner must pay a tansom of US$300 in the form of Bitcoin.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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