PNC, Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, and SunTrust Bank are just some of the major banks to have suffered cyber attacks in recent weeks, reports The Plain Dealer.

The websites of many US banks were incapacitated by cyber attacks in September 2012, and the problem has reportedly now returned. An international hacker group known as Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Cyber Fighters claimed responsibility for September’s attacks and released a fresh statement on December 10 declaring more attacks were planned.

As in September, PNC appears to be a target. According to posts on the bank’s Facebook page, the organization has suffered intermittent problems with its website since December 13. PNC spokesman Fred Solomon said:

“[…] The web site is operating normally and the vast majority of customers have uninterrupted access. If individual customers cannot access the system, we invite them to call the call center. The call center (888-762-2265) is open from 7am to 10pm Monday through Friday and 8am to 5pm Saturday and Sunday.”

A Facebook post on PNC’s page from December 27 reads:

“Some customers may once again experience slow or intermittent internet access to PNC today. If you cannot access our sites, we recommend that you continue to attempt to connect. Please visit a PNC branch or ATM for your banking needs or call us at 1-888-PNC-BANK. Follow us here for updates and be assured that your information remains protected and is our top priority.”

And a Twitter post from the same day reveals much the same:

Some customers may experience intermittent internet access to PNC. Check here for updates and be assured that your information is protected. — PNC News (@PNCNews) December 27, 2012

PNC are not alone. The Plain Dealer reveals that sites belonging to several of the nation’s biggest banks have been hit sporadically by “distributed denial-of-service” (DDOS) attacks. The banks supposedly affected in recent weeks include PNC, Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, and SunTrust Bank.

However, the current round of attacks have not proven as potent as those from September, with Lynne Woodman, spokeswoman for KeyCorp in Cleveland, telling The Plain Dealer:

“I think that, with experience, the industry is able to be better prepared.”

Woodman adds that customers should check their accounts regularly to nip any abuse in the bud. Woodman says she checks her own accounts twice a week, pointing out that, “nobody knows your spending patterns better than you do.”

Are you a customer of PNC or any of the other affected banks? Have you struggled to access your bank’s website in recent weeks? Let us know in the comments if so?