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'ATM Security' guide addresses threats, solutions

Free publication reviews security challenges, strategies for the ATM industry.

April 25, 2012

ATM Marketplace has published its free guide, "ATM Security,"sponsored by Diebold. This new document was developed to help ATM operators identify security challenges to their fleet and evaluate new security measures designed to safeguard their business and protect their customers.

The 19-page guide provides a comprehensive assessment of ATM security — its current state, trends and approaches, solutions to card and currency fraud, and threats to both physical and digital assets.

Following is a brief excerpt from the guide:

A multilayered approach

Fully securing an ATM portfolio requires a multilayered approach to mitigate the various routes through which a terminal or network may be compromised. With financial realities, not every terminal in every portfolio presents the same level of risk. A holistic review of a portfolio will provide a roadmap for investment in security based on the risks and experience.

“It isn’t always necessary that you apply the same level of protection across an entire fleet of ATMs,” said Terrie Ipson, manager of security services strategy and business development for Canton, Ohio-based Diebold Inc.

Economies of scale also play a role in implementing security procedures. For monitoring services, for instance, it doesn’t make sense to monitor only a few machines.

The multilayer approach begins with the self-service terminal at the core. Around that is the security for the ATM environment, including video surveillance equipment and equipment to detect attack or removal of the ATM itself. In the next layer comes the overall branch premises protection system. This includes integrated DVR and video surveillance systems and alarms. Then another layer is outside perimeter security.

This is one of the areas where a cost-benefit analysis is essential. For example, spending only 25 percent more on a vault door may double the amount of time it takes for the door to be breached. That extra time might be all that is needed to prevent a financial loss.

Applying measures, such as physical security, to provide access control not only helps with protection of the data but also prevents criminals from gaining access to a machine, whether from burglary or other types of attacks to defraud the machine, according to Jim Pettitt, director of strategy and planning, ATM security, for Diebold.

“A financial institution should start with a holistic view and understanding of where they’re going to get the biggest bang for your buck in layered security,” he said.

Download the free publication, "ATM Security".

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