From: Virus Guy 

FBI warns cyber criminals are plotting a mass hack against bank ATMs

Hackers ‘to steal MILLIONS from cash machines within days': FBI warns of 
imminent mass attack on world's ATMs

* The FBI has sent a confidential alert to warn banks of a global
   'cash-out scheme'

* A 'jackpotting' scheme would see hackers use malware to take control
   of ATMs

* Smaller banks with less sophisticated security are said to be most
   vulnerable

Published: 13:16 EDT, 13 August 2018 | Updated: 16:32 EDT, 13 August 2018

America's intelligence chiefs have warned banks of a major hacking 
threat to cash machines worldwide in the next few days.

The FBI sent out a confidential alert on Friday to warn that cyber 
criminals are planning a global 'cash-out scheme' using malware to take 
over ATMs and steal millions of dollars.

Banks were warned that they could fall victim to an 'unlimited 
operation' in which millions of dollars could be withdrawn from cash 
machines.

Smaller banks with less sophisticated security systems are thought to be 
most vulnerable to an attack using the 'jackpotting' technique, the 
Daily Telegraph reports.

The FBI sent out a confidential alert on Friday to warn that cyber 
criminals are planning a global 'cash-out scheme' using malware to take 
over ATMs and steal millions of dollars

The warning said: 'The FBI has obtained unspecified reporting indicating 
cyber criminals are planning to conduct a global Automated Teller 
Machine (ATM) cash-out scheme in the coming days, likely associated with 
an unknown card issuer breach.'

The website Krebs On Security reported that criminals could create 
'fraudulent copies' of bank cards by installing their data on reusable 
magnetic strip cards.

The FBI warned that 'at a pre-determined time, the co-conspirators 
withdraw account funds from ATMs using these cards.'

'Historic compromises have included small-to-medium size financial 
institutions, likely due to less robust implementation of cyber security 
controls, budgets, or third-party vendor vulnerabilities,' the alert said.

Attacks could affect banks all over the world with British banks with 
large overseas interests including Barclays and HSBC thought to have 
been made aware of the danger from the 'jackpotting' technique.

Earlier this year it was revealed that a co-ordinated group of hackers 
had stolen more than $1million by hijacking cash machines in the U.S.

The spate of attacks represented the first widespread jackpotting 
activity in the United States, officials said in January.

The heists, which involved hacking ATMs to rapidly shoot out torrents of 
cash, were across the United States spanning from the Gulf Coast to New 
England.

British banks with large overseas interests including Barclays and HSBC 
are thought to have been made aware of the danger from the 'jackpotting' 
technique

An alert at the time from an ATM maker said the method included gaining 
physical access, replacing the hard drive and using an industrial 
endoscope to depress an internal button required to reset the device.

A U.S. Secret Service alert sent to banks in January said machines 
running Windows XP were more vulnerable and encouraged ATM operators to 
update to Windows 7 to protect against the attack.

Hackers have moved from stealing payment card numbers and online banking 
credentials to more lucrative hacks on bank networks, giving them access 
not only to ATM machines, but also to electronic payment networks.

In 2016 it was reported that cyber criminals had remotely attacked cash 
machines in more than a dozen countries across Europe.
--- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2