The number of security vulnerabilities detected in the financial services sector has increased by over 418% in the last four years, according to new research from global cyber security and risk mitigation expert NCC Group.

Wall Street's top regulator says that a 2016 breach at its corporate disclosure database may have enabled hackers to profit from trading on inside information.

The details of more than 200,000 Visa and Mastercard cards were stolen during the recent cyber-breach at credit referencing firm Equifax. Visa and Mastercard have been sending out confidential alerts - seen by security blogger Brian Krebs - to financial institutions across the US warning about the compromised cards.

Credit referencing firm Equifax has reported a cyber-breach which spilled the personal details of approximately 143 million US consumers. The company says unidentified intruders exploited a US website application vulnerability to gain access to certain files over a three-month period between May and July of this year.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) must do more to improve its defences against cyber attacks, says the US Government Accountability Office (GAO).

Italy's UniCredit says personal financial data of some 400,000 customers who took out loans through the bank have been hijacked by unauthorised third parties.

London will cement its place as a world-leader in the fight against cyber attacks and threats with an investment of up to £14.5 million in a new innovation centre to develop the next of generation of cyber security technology to help keep the nation safe.