Banks shift to ".bank.in" domain to boost cybersecurity
What's the story
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued a new directive, mandating all banks to migrate their official websites to the ".bank.in" domain. The move, which comes into effect today, is aimed at bolstering cybersecurity and shielding customers from phishing attacks. It also seeks to enhance trust in digital banking services across the country.
Domain exclusivity
Transitioning to '.bank.in'
As per the new rule, only banks regulated by the RBI will be able to register and use this exclusive ".bank.in" domain. This means that from today, customers visiting their bank's website will see a new URL ending with ".bank.in." Leading private sector lenders such as ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Axis Bank, and Kotak Mahindra Bank have already completed this transition.
Cybersecurity concerns
Addressing online threats
The RBI's directive comes in the wake of a surge in online payment fraud and counterfeit banking websites. The new domain will provide a verified digital identity for Indian banks, making it easier for users to identify genuine portals from fake ones. The Institute for Development and Research in Banking Technology (IDRBT) will be the sole registrar for this new domain, approved by the National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
URL updates
New URLs for leading banks
Here are the new official bank URLs after the RBI mandate: ICICI Bank: https://www.icici.bank.in/, HDFC Bank: https://www.hdfc.bank.in/, Axis Bank: https://www.axis.bank.in/, Kotak Mahindra Bank: https://www.kotak.bank.in/en/home.html All existing services remain accessible, and old website links will automatically redirect to these new domain addresses.
User precautions
What should users do?
Cybersecurity experts have advised users to always check that banking URLs end with ".bank.in" before logging in. They also recommend avoiding search engine results or forwarded links to access banking portals and bookmarking the new official URLs to avoid phishing risks. This domain migration is expected to greatly enhance digital banking security and authenticity in India.