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Cybercriminals Refine ATM Data-Sniffing Software
BobB-nw writes "Cybercriminals are improving a malicious software program that can be installed on ATMs running Microsoft's Windows XP operating system that records sensitive card details, according to security vendor Trustwave. The malware has been found so far on ATMs in Eastern European countries, according to a Trustwave report. The malware records the magnetic stripe information on the back of a card as well as the PIN, which would potentially allow criminals to clone the card in order to withdraw cash. The collected card data, which is encrypted using the DES algorithm, can be printed out by the ATM's receipt printer, Trustwave wrote."
I RTFA (yes, yes... I know) but I couldn't find the answer to the most obvious question... how does the rootkit get installed?
If no physical access to the real PC inside the ATM is needed.. that's really cool!
But if you need to plug an usb drive in, this actually reduces the field of the potential thieves by several orders of magnitude...
M
there are many ATMs in the UK that use Windows XP as their OS of choice. Having personally seen crash screens and machines caught in a restart loop.
Why they are using windows, I don't know to be honest. Why they'd be using a Linux distro, I don't know. The banks probably don't know either, as far as I'm aware they get their ATMs from companies like NCR or IBM (or Diebold, as we've seen before) who are the companies who supply the software. It just so happens that the software they write is written for Windows Operating System. Remember, the cost of hiring someone who can programme for Windows is significantly less for someone who can programme for Linux (As they will likely also be able to programme for Windows, thus, with a larger skill-set they'll demand more money) And a bulk licence for Windows where they're churning out 1,000+ ATMs boils down to next to nothing.
The cheapest programmer, the cheapest hardware, a slightly costly OS. Something has to be a weak link, and the exploiters exploit it.
It pays to be obvious, especially if you have a reputation for being subtle.
A reasonable report via http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/06/03/atm_trojans/ and something slightly more technical http://regmedia.co.uk/2009/06/03/trust_wave_atm_report.pdf via trust wave.
They run XP embedded, which allow you to customize which components are used much more so than regular XP. That is not to say I don't see your point -- we've broken into plenty of Diebold XP ATMs during authorized penetration tests using regular Windows exploits. After that, it's game over with the software this product mentions. Then again, regular OS's have been running on ATMs for a long time, and many still run OS/2.
Several years ago, there was a home-invasion robbery that made local headlines for a few days. The robbers stole ATM cards and forced the PINs out of the residents at gunpoint, threatening to come back and rape them if they gave the wrong PIN. In this case, the residents were obligated to give the correct PIN, since they could have been tied up and forced to wait for the robber to return with the cash.
My home burglar alarm has a duress code. If someone should ever force me to disarm it at gunpoint, I use a secondary code that will act in the exact same manner as the normal code, while it silently sends a duress signal, and hello SWAT team.
Why not do this with ATMs? I would not be surprised if ATMs already had GSM-monitored burglar alarms for obvious reasons, and it wouldn't be that hard to have a secondary PIN that sends a duress signal.
Of course, that's useless against shoulder surfing.
Just to note, ATM running Windows XP doesn't mean its less secure and that it could be exploited. If you've used ATM's, theres no really way to just run your programs on it or exploit it somehow. But when criminals have access to the hardware physically, there is no difference if its windows, linux or whatever else OS. That is how its probably been working here aswell, they get some insiders to give them access or they social engineer their way in. You cant exploit windows bugs in them because you cant connect to them from the internet.
Like said, when people get good physical access to the hardware, game is usually lost, no matter what the OS is.
Sneakier way that I have seen. The bad guys slide this metal piece into the ATM slot. This catches your card bit will not release it. Some even let you make your transaction but still keep the card. Usually one of the bad guys is around the ATM watching. They walk up pretending to help. They ask you to enter in you pin again or ask for your pin so they can enter the pin. Either way they now have your pin. Nothing works of course. You go away, they take out the piece of metal with your card. Now they have your pin and your card.
I read about this. I have so far taken 4 pieces of metal out of the ATM card slot at 3 different location around the Washington DC area. All 4 times, someone very quickly left the scene. I did report it to the each bank when they were open again. All 4 times happen to be after 9PM.
Look at the ATM slot before you put your card in. If it looks like there is a extra thin piece of metal, either go to a different ATM, or see if you can take it out. I used the trusty paperclip to remove the metal. Not that hard.
My home burglar alarm has a duress code. If someone should ever force me to disarm it at gunpoint, I use a secondary code that will act in the exact same manner as the normal code, while it silently sends a duress signal, and hello SWAT team.
I think it would be just as easy to create a "Zero balance" code to show the assailant you are broke when you are not.
Some of us don't need that though.
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-Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor (1368-1437)