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Hackers Program Bank ATMs to Spew Cash

posted by janrinok on Tuesday November 22 2016, @11:05PM   Printer-friendly
from the loads-of-dosh dept.

"exec" writes:

Hackers Program Bank ATMs to Spew Cash

After crimes in Taiwan and Thailand, the FBI warns of similar potential attacks in U.S.

Cybercriminals who once earned millions by breaking into individual online bank accounts are now targeting the banks' own computers, with often-dramatic results.

In Taiwan and Thailand earlier this year, the criminals programmed bank ATMs to spew cash. Gang members stood in front of the machines at the appointed hour and collected millions of dollars.

Earlier this month, the Federal Bureau of Investigation warned U.S. banks of the potential for similar attacks. The FBI said in a bulletin that it is "monitoring emerging reports indicating that well-resourced and organized malicious cyber actors have intentions to target the U.S. financial sector."

[... In Taiwan ...] By July 11, criminals had collected more than 83 million New Taiwan dollars (US$2.6 million) in cash—without using ATM cards. Twenty-two people, most from Eastern Europe, waited by ATMs to remove the money. Three suspects were later arrested and over NT$77 million recovered.

-- submitted from IRC

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  • (Score: 2) by MostCynical on Wednesday November 23 2016, @12:01AM

    by MostCynical (2589) on Wednesday November 23 2016, @12:01AM (#431576) Journal

    They were caught, and most of the money was recovered. Seems they weren't very good at the collection part of the operation.
    Masks, hoodies, scarves, balaclavas..

    Were the people sent to collect just dumb?

    --
    "I guess once you start doubting, there's no end to it." -Batou, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
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  • (Score: 2) by art guerrilla on Wednesday November 23 2016, @01:07AM

    by art guerrilla (3082) on Wednesday November 23 2016, @01:07AM (#431595)

    too lazy to actually read the article, but the 'spewing millions' ? ? ?
    ATMs have the CAPACITY for 'millions' ? ? ?
    unless it is one of those currencies where a million somethings = $1US...
    otherwise, i find it hard to believe it would be loaded with 'millions' even if it had the capacity...

    • (Score: 2) by mcgrew on Wednesday November 23 2016, @02:50AM

      by mcgrew (701) <publish@mcgrewbooks.com> on Wednesday November 23 2016, @02:50AM (#431629) Homepage Journal

      One ATM doesn't, but all of Chase's together might.

      --
      mcgrewbooks.com mcgrew.info nooze.org

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday November 23 2016, @03:32AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday November 23 2016, @03:32AM (#431644)
      I'd think that they did this to several ATMs all across Taiwan. A typical ATM probably contains about 10,000 bank notes of varying denominations when full. This happened in Taiwan, so there are NT$100, NT$200, NT$500, NT$1000, and NT$2000 bills, probably roughly equal quantities of each, say 2000 bills of each denomination, so the typical maximum capacity might be around NT$7.6 million, probably somewhat less because the $200 and $2000 bills aren't used as much, and might not even be available (will a US ATM produce a $2 bill, or even a $5?). So yes, ATMs in Taiwan do have the capacity for millions of New Taiwan Dollars. They could have easily scored NT$83 million by doing this repeatedly to a few dozen ATMs in various locations.

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday November 23 2016, @04:02PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday November 23 2016, @04:02PM (#431874)

      ლ) The SN headline even says Hackers Program Bank ATMs to Spew Cash not Hackers Program Bank an ATM to Spew Cash.

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday November 23 2016, @05:31PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday November 23 2016, @05:31PM (#431955)

        * a bank ATM

  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday November 23 2016, @01:53AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday November 23 2016, @01:53AM (#431610)

    No, just greedy. The way this hack is supposed to be done, you rig every ATM to give everyone free money on a certain day, then you forget to set your alarm, and you sleep through free money day, but don't collect any free money yourself.