STRATEGIC PARTNERS
May 24, 2012
An ATM hacking case in Texas should be all the reminder ATM owners need to change their machine's master password.
The incidents in Texas took place in December of 2011. According to a source who spoke on background, the perpetrator obtained the default master password for a particular ATM model, then found machines whose passwords had not been changed from the factory default.
In each incident, the thief was able to use the passcode to put the machine into program mode and change currency designation from $20 to $1. Then with the swipe of a prepaid AmEx card, the thief netted $760 on each $40 transaction.
What is common to this type of theft is that the machines targeted are independently owned, usually by small businesses. In Texas, additional characteristics of the scam were that the ATMs were older models and were located in flyspeck towns — one consisting of an adult video store and a gas station, the source said.
Authorities in Texas tracked their suspect with purchase information from the prepaid American Express card. They are currently working to produce enhanced video stills from ATM security cameras that they hope will assist with positive identification.
Liability for the Texas thefts will fall on the merchant-machine owners who failed to maintain control of their machines by neglecting to change the default password, said the source.
It's a hard lesson. And one with an extraordinary number of teachers, as a quick Google of "make easy money" demonstrates.
For more on this topic, visit the security research center.
