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Crooks Hack Music Players For ATM Skimmers

Posted by kdawson on from the sweet-sounds-of-cash-dropping-into-our-hands dept.

tsu doh nimh sends in a report that criminals increasingly are cannibalizing parts from handheld audio players and cheap spy cams to make extremely stealthy and effective ATM skimmers. These are devices designed to be attached to cash machines to siphon card +PIN data. "The European ATM Security Team (EAST) found that a new type of analogue skimming device — using audio technology — has been reported by five countries, two of them 'major ATM deployers' (defined as having more than 40,000 ATMs)... The basic method for conducting these attacks was mentioned in a 1992 edition of the hacker e-zine Phrack (the edition that explains audio-based skimmers is Phrack 37)."

3 of 82 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Been said before by SirGeek · · Score: 3, Insightful

    You could even combine it with some kind of traditional pin or even biometrics if you want to be all new age, giving you the very trendy "3 factor authentication".

    Sorry, One reason this will fail - People are inherently lazy.

    If they can't get their swipe and walk away then they'll not be happy...

    Granted, I also don't want yet another thing to hang off my keychain, but I'd rather have THAT safety than nothing.

    --
    UPS Sucks
  2. Ballpeen hammer by spun · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Just carry a ballpeen hammer around with you. Before inserting your card, take a couple of good hard swipes with the hammer. Skimmers aren't mounted solidly, and the rest of the machine is pretty much unbreakable.

    --
    - None can love freedom heartily, but good men; the rest love not freedom, but license. -- John Milton
    1. Re:Ballpeen hammer by corbettw · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Sounds great. I'm sure a random police officer who happens to be passing by when you strike the ATM with a hammer will completely agree with your plan.

      --
      God invented whiskey so the Irish would not rule the world.