The ATM machine is everyone’s favorite place to grab a quick stash of cash for an evening out or shopping. Maybe they aren’t as foolproof and safe as everyone likes to think. Recent reports from security firms have shown that they are vulnerable to Windows based hacker attacks.
Statistics show that, for example, 90 percent of the ATM machines in the UK are using outdated desktop operating system technology as the basis for their money distribution functions. Each of these machines is built using Intel hardware and has older versions of Windows installed. This combination is no threat to hackers seeking personal information for identity theft, or easy cash transfers.
The machines are not only individually vulnerable, but create a vulnerable network. They are connected to other machines within the bank they are attached if they are in a bank building. The stand alone machines found in many convenience stores and shopping areas are often connected to both the bank network and the internet as well. This makes the stand alone machine doubly vulnerable to hacking.
One vendor of security solutions, Network Box, was able to show not only how the machine could be hacked, but also to demonstrate that the only thing encrypted during a transaction in many of these machines is the person’s PIN number. With the right tool, a PIN number can be guessed. It highlights how important it is to check your statement regularly for erroneous charges, save your ATM receipts, and change your PIN often.
Martin Macmillan, business development director with ATM security specialist Level Four Software, said: “The technology behind ATMs has changed dramatically over the last few years. Banks have largely moved their ATMs across to run operating systems such as Windows connected to a greater range of servers over an IP network. That creates a lot of security issues.”
