Security Magazine logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Security Magazine logo
  • NEWS
    • Security Newswire
    • Technologies & Solutions
  • MANAGEMENT
    • Leadership Management
    • Enterprise Services
    • Security Education & Training
    • Logical Security
    • Security & Business Resilience
    • Profiles in Excellence
  • PHYSICAL
    • Access Management
    • Fire & Life Safety
    • Identity Management
    • Physical Security
    • Video Surveillance
    • Case Studies (Physical)
  • CYBER
    • Cybersecurity News
    • More
  • BLOG
  • COLUMNS
    • Cyber Tactics
    • Leadership & Management
    • Security Talk
    • Career Intelligence
    • Leader to Leader
    • Cybersecurity Education & Training
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Annual Guarding Report
    • Most Influential People in Security
    • The Security Benchmark Report
    • The Security Leadership Issue
    • Top Guard and Security Officer Companies
    • Top Cybersecurity Leaders
    • Women in Security
  • SECTORS
    • Arenas / Stadiums / Leagues / Entertainment
    • Banking/Finance/Insurance
    • Construction, Real Estate, Property Management
    • Education: K-12
    • Education: University
    • Government: Federal, State and Local
    • Hospitality & Casinos
    • Hospitals & Medical Centers
    • Infrastructure:Electric,Gas & Water
    • Ports: Sea, Land, & Air
    • Retail/Restaurants/Convenience
    • Transportation/Logistics/Supply Chain/Distribution/ Warehousing
  • EVENTS
    • Industry Events
    • Webinars
    • Solutions by Sector
    • Security 500 Conference
  • MEDIA
    • Videos
      • Cybersecurity & Geopolitical Discussion
      • Ask Me Anything (AMA) Series
    • Podcasts
    • Polls
    • Photo Galleries
  • MORE
    • Call for Entries
    • Classifieds & Job Listings
    • Continuing Education
    • Newsletter
    • Sponsor Insights
    • Store
    • White Papers
  • EMAG
    • eMagazine
    • This Month's Content
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!

ATM Crimes: Growing Threats from Software Hackers, Organized Criminals Using Skimming Gear

July 30, 2010

At the Black Hat conference in Las Vegas this week, IOActive’s director of security research gave a demonstration of how he learned to crack the security of various standalone ATMs after coming across several errors and security weaknesses in their [software] coding, allowing him to gain full access to the machines’ safes. He wrote multiple programs to exploit some of the machines’ weaknesses including one that allows him to gain remote entry without the need of a password, which he calls Dillinger, and a second program, Scrooge, that relies on a back-door entry with the ability to conceal itself from the machine’s main operating system. In the case of Triton’s ATMs, the researcher found the motherboard of the machine was sorely lacking in physical security, and once he had gained access to it, he was easily able to use a similar back-door technique then simply trick the machine into thinking that the hack was actually a legitimate update. So far, the researcher has attempted to hack four different ATMs and, as he demonstrated at the conference, he has found that the same “game over vulnerability” has enabled him to crack every one of them.

Concerning the growing problem of skimming, Security Magazine Blog has learned of one of the biggest thefts so far. Police have released images of five men believed to linked to an international ATM skimming scam that has fleeced millions of dollars from Melbourne, Australia, bank customers this year. At least 28 machines around Melbourne have been compromised since March in an elaborate scheme believed to have links to Eastern European crime gangs. The crime syndicate is one of two that are preying on Melburnians and stealing their card details and cash. In a separate scam, Melbourne shop workers are being offered upwards of $40,000 to let scammers tamper with their Eftpos machines, enabling them to steal the PINs and card details of shoppers. The devices, including a card reader and a pinhole camera, had been placed on ATMs outside banks and on stand-alone machines with a high turnover of customers, including at large shopping centers. All banks were being targeted.

In the U.S., the skimmers have started hitting gas pump skimmers. Thieves have placed credit-card skimming devices in the housing of gas pumps at 12 stations in Colorado. Federal authorities are tight-lipped about the investigation, so it is up to station owners and customers to take steps to protect sensitive information. However, a representative from the Colorado Wyoming Petroleum Marketers Association said: “The gasoline industry has just finished a nationwide system upgrade that [only] secures customer information on the back end,” so that once the credit card information is processed at the pump, it is triple encoded and cannot be stored at the station itself. He added that the only remaining access point for people who want to compromise this information is at the beginning of the transaction at the pump. The petroleum industry representative recommends paying with cash, or taking a credit card to the station’s attendant inside.

Comments? Tweet Security Magazine at http://twitter.com/securitymag

Share This Story

Blog Topics

Security Blog

On the Track of OSAC

Blog Roll

Security Industry Association

Security Magazine's Daily News

SIA FREE Email News

SDM Blog

Manage My Account
  • Security eNewsletter & Other eNews Alerts
  • eMagazine Subscriptions
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Online Registration
  • Mobile App
  • Subscription Customer Service

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Security audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Security or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • Crisis Response Team
    Sponsored byEverbridge

    Automate or Fall Behind – Crisis Response at the Speed of Risk

  • Perimeter security
    Sponsored byAMAROK

    Why Property Security is the New Competitive Advantage

  • Duty of Care
    Sponsored byAMAROK

    Integrating Technology and Physical Security to Advance Duty of Care

Popular Stories

Internal computer parts

Critical Software Vulnerabilities Rose 37% in 2024

Coding

AI Emerges as the Top Concern for Security Leaders

Half open laptop

“Luigi Was Right”: A Look at the Website Sharing Data on More Than 1,000 Executives

Person working on laptop

Governance in the Age of Citizen Developers and AI

Shopping mall

Victoria’s Secret Security Incident Shuts Down Website

2025 Security Benchmark banner

Events

June 24, 2025

Inside a Modern GSOC: How Anthropic Benchmarks Risk Detection Tools for Speed and Accuracy

For today's security teams, making informed decisions in the first moments of a crisis is critical.

August 27, 2025

Risk Mitigation as a Competitive Edge

In today’s volatile environment, a robust risk management strategy isn’t just a requirement—it’s a foundation for organizational resilience. From cyber threats to climate disruptions, the ability to anticipate, withstand, and adapt to disruption is becoming a hallmark of industry leaders.

View All Submit An Event

Products

Security Culture: A How-to Guide for Improving Security Culture and Dealing with People Risk in Your Organisation

Security Culture: A How-to Guide for Improving Security Culture and Dealing with People Risk in Your Organisation

See More Products
×

Sign-up to receive top management & result-driven techniques in the industry.

Join over 20,000+ industry leaders who receive our premium content.

SIGN UP TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing