Data Leakage from Banking Sites via Tracking Pixels

• •Banks are leaking sensitive customer data to ad platforms via tracking pixels.
• •Data is transmitted without valid user consent, raising compliance issues.
• •Tracking occurs on sensitive pages like loan applications, exposing personal information.

Research by Jscrambler reveals that banks in Europe and the US are unintentionally leaking sensitive customer data to third-party advertising platforms through tracking pixels. This data transmission often occurs before users provide consent or continues even after they reject tracking options. The study documented 14 cases where tracking was activated without valid consent at nine financial institutions. The data sent includes hashed identifiers that can potentially be re-identified, raising significant compliance and privacy issues. Notably, tracking pixels were found on sensitive pages like loan applications and account openings, exposing personal information such as email addresses and tax numbers. The findings indicate a systemic issue across multiple banks, with data reaching major platforms like Google, Meta, and TikTok. The research highlights a critical gap in the security practices of financial institutions regarding user data protection.