Dialing for Dollars: Criminals Rob ATMs with Text Messages

[Guest]

Cybercriminals have found a way to rob ATMs simply by sending text messages to cellphones attached to the cash machines.

Dialing for Dollars: Criminals Rob ATMs with Text Messages : Read more

 

[Rhinofart]

Where do you get your information from? "ATMs are basically computers that control access to cash, and as it turns out, almost 95 percent of them run on versions of Windows XP," Regalado wroteI spent 8 years installing, and repairing ATMs and NONE of them ran Windows XP, or Windows XP Embedded. Granted, I only worked on NCR, Triton, and Wincor Nixdorf. The Tritons ran their own propriatary OS, NCR ran OS2/Warp, and when I got out of the industry a highly customized version of NT4 (5 years ago), and Wincor also had an NT4 based OS. Lots of these ATMs are connected via dedicated MPLS circuits to the Financial Networks, and hacking into those while possible, would still be quite a feat. The only real "damage" the guys can do would be to override the dispenser to disk out cash. I've only ever known of 1 machine to go completly bonkers, and that was back in 2003 in northern Alberta where an NCR machine just lost it's mind, and started dishing out bills through the dispenser. Good thing it was one of the branch staff that was making the transaction at the time, and they called me directly.

 

[coolitic]

Even some of the ATM's use xp? O noez, people are more ignorant than i thought.

 

[coolitic]

Even some of the ATM's use xp? O noez, people are more ignorant than i thought.

 

[knowom]

Story about nothing not our problem it's the banks problems and like the article mentions a simple security cam is the best line of defense and what ATM doesn't have one of those around?

 

[cracklint]

went on a sunday morning to get some cash from my local atm and caught it in the middle of an update. it was wild because my atm screen was indeed running xp. noticed over the last few weeks the interface was changed . and the machine responds and processes my transaction much faster. No doubt they have updated there OS . Most likely in lieu of these exploits

 

[rwinches]

@rinofart NCR stated that they have XP running on hundreds of thousands of their ATMs worldwide. Yes many commercial machines are using embedded versions and are not on the internet. XP Win 7 and 8 are all versions of NT Win 8 is Ver 6.2 Build 9200

 

[rwinches]

Plenty of ATMs are installed in independent stores that have no cameras, we're talking worldwide here.

 

[ferooxidan]

still lots of guy didn't know that lots ATM use XP? wow, it's nice to be young

 

[w8gaming]

Have seen a ATM being "serviced" and catch the OS is Windows XP as well. Most likely some of the vendors who provide the ATM infrastructure has coded their software to be run on XP and sold it to the banking sector. The same vendor is in the nice position to make a lot of cash now that Microsoft is helping them to encourage their clients to "upgrade".