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ATM Vendors Threaten, Stop Research Presentation

Posted by Soulskill on from the money-inside-atms-wants-to-be-free dept.

An anonymous reader writes "A presentation about 'The Underground Economy,' by Italian white hat hacker and security expert Raoul Chiesa, was replaced at the last minute during last week's Hack In The Box conference. The reason behind this cancellation was that Chiesa received legal pressure from ATM vendors over the fact that the originally scheduled presentation covers details of various techniques and exploits of vulnerabilities that cyber criminals use to break into ATMs — flaws that have been known for a long time."

8 of 134 comments (clear)

  1. Publish it on Piratebay instead by commodore64_love · · Score: 5, Insightful

    No government nor corporation has a right to muzzle our mouths.

    --
    "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - historian Evelyn Beatrice Hall
    1. Re:Publish it on Piratebay instead by countertrolling · · Score: 5, Interesting

      It's not illegal to speak or publish your thoughts.

      It's not illegal to take pictures either, but people are still being harassed for it. Those rights are regularly violated, and not enough people stand up to it to take notice. Our rights don't mean much if nobody will defend them.

      Why would he be in trouble?

      Precedence. People have been arrested for revealing exploits. And several conferences have been canceled in the states over these issues in the past also.

      The safest bet by far is to remain anonymous. The information is more important than the guy's ego.

      --
      For justice, we must go to Don Corleone
    2. Re:Publish it on Piratebay instead by JockTroll · · Score: 5, Interesting

      It's not illegal, but Big Money makes and enforce its own laws. And the most important of those laws is: we're rich and powerful, obey us or else.

      Too bad nobody calls their "else". People don't know their rights anymore, or are afraid to defend them. Unfortunately with good reason because there's plenty of both public and private uniformed thugs who make up the law on the spot and exercise their might with the power of the baton.

      Another decade of this, or less, and the populace will have been forced into submission, ready to do anything if ordered to by an "authority figure".

      Wise up, people: organize yourselves, gather in pro-rights associations and have lawyers on your side. When a person or group of people is harassed by uniformed or suited goons, take them to court. Have the fact publicized by the press or by any means necessary. Embarass them, ridicule them, nothing kills fear more than laughter. Nothing hurts more than a good lawsuit.

      A guy I knew once was just touched by a private security guard at a mall who was trying to play Dirty Harry. He immediately fell to the ground screaming like a stuck pig. A friend nearby promptly shouted "MY GOD WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HIM!" He remained still on the ground and another friend (female) kept screaming "MURDERER! MURDERER!"

      It was PRICELESS. All caught on tape. People around gathered, and this uniformed guy was probably thinking if he had better run away or gun down everyone. Manager got called. Ambulance was called. Police appeared. Although this guy wasn't hurt, the fact that he had been pushed by the guard with no reason (seen on the CCTV when the security firm tried to exculpate themselves) was ground for criminal charged against the guard and for a big lawsuit against the firm by the mall management. The bad publicity (thing ended up on TV and papers) caused the firm to lose all contracts throughout the city and collapsed in a couple of months.

      Play hard. We can win, but gloves must come off. If they shit on you, you shit back. With some diarrhoea.

      --
      Geeks are so full of shit that "beating the crap out of them" takes a whole new meaning.
  2. This isn't dangerous in the way they claim by nixNscratches · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The people who are using it to cause damages already know how this is done. The only dangerous part about something like this is that the public might be made aware of just how far from secure most financial transactions are.

  3. Re:you'd rather your bank was burgled? by countertrolling · · Score: 5, Insightful

    you'd rather your bank was burgled?

    No, I'd rather hold the bank responsible for any loss. They should have to replace the money. With that kind of incentive, they might actually try to make their systems a bit more secure. An important step in this direction would be to quit using cheap commodity systems in their networks.

    --
    For justice, we must go to Don Corleone
  4. Re:you'd rather your bank was burgled? by schon · · Score: 5, Insightful

    presenting this information can only decrease the security and value of your savings.

    You're an idiot.

    As the article states, the information is already known by the bad guys. Keeping it secret helps the bad guys, and hurts everyone else. Making it public will encourage the banks to fix the vulnerabilities, which will increase the security and value of my savings.

    anyone that argues that the information needs to be public is probably broke.

    No, the people who argue that the information needs to be public actually understand the issue here.

  5. Black hat confrence? by countertrolling · · Score: 5, Insightful

    in the USA?? I would not recommend that at all. Just put it on the net from a secure location..

    --
    For justice, we must go to Don Corleone
  6. It always backfires by retardpicnic · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Remember when Jeff Moss had his talk cancelled, or Kim Zetter? All it did was make people salivate to read thier presentation when they released it online at a later date. The last thing you want to do to this demographic is tell them the info is "too dangerous (see awesome) for them to hear. It will be everywhere with in the week.

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