Ongoing ATM hacks in Eastern Europe and Russia

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Hackers aren’t only targeting businesses in America.  In an ongoing investigation that began in March of this year, security company Kaspersky Labs and Interpol say that cyber criminals have been hitting ATMs in Eastern Europe and Russia,emptying cash machines with a unique and specifically timed scam. The above image shows a screenshot of the malicious software used to hack the cash machines.

Video footage from security cameras at infected ATMs shows that the hacks occur only on Sunday and Monday nights and that the criminals gain physical access to the machines by inserting a bootable disk into the system. The ATM is rebooted and the infected malware is uploaded into the system. The hackers wear hoodies, making it difficult to identify them while they are in camera range.

The investigators would not reveal how the machines are opened or how the CDs are loaded into them but, once the malware is active, the criminal enters a specific combination of numbers through the ATMs keyboard. Then the hacker makes a phone call and receives instructions for entering another set of numbers. Essentially using a two step verification process. Since the on site criminals can only gain access after the phone call, they can’t perform the operation alone. Once the correct set of numbers has been entered, the machine gives out the cash.

The entire operation takes about four minutes, according to Mr. Kaspersky. His firm continues to help Russian police in the ongoing investigation. Interpol has alerted the member countries that have been affected. US regulators have been warned of this spreading pattern of cyber attacks, targeting teller machines.

 

Source: The Wall Street Journal



George Hayes

Married to my best friend since 1987. We have six grand-children and three great-grandchildren. Began writing for Bane-Tech August 2014, due to an ever-growing passion for mobile and Android in particular. Computer programmer 1981 to 2015. Currently retired. Active You Tuber (Mobile Geezer: Twitter - https://twitter.com/MobileGeezer Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mobilegeezer/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/MobileGeezer Google Plus - https://plus.google.com/b/106433550154529693622/?pageId=106433550154529693622). Sax player and singer in various bands (rock and R&R) since the mid 60's. Avid motorcycle rider (Gold Wing), bicyclist and exercise enthusiast. Extreme lover of driving and biking (motorcycle). The more thousand miles the trip, the happier I am as the driver. Dedicated, Bible-believing Christian who makes no judgments on others .