While the big four banks, who reluctantly acceded to the long sought Royal Commission into their activities last November, never expected the exercise to be a walk in the park, they probably didn't think it would get this tough this soon.

Commonwealth Bank officials received a comprehensive dressing down at the hands of the counsel assisting the Royal Commission, Rowena Orr, on Tuesday.

It, like the other 40 institutions targeted, had been asked in December to list, in 50 pages or less, all examples of misconduct involving its executives and staff over the last decade.

This included those who worked for its affiliates such as Aussie Home Loans.