The U.S. Secret Service has warned (PDF) financial institutions of logical (jackpot) attacks on Automated Teller Machines (ATMs). These ATM attacks originated in Mexico and have spread to the US. These jackpotting attacks are an industry-wide issue and as one vendor stated, are “a call to action to take appropriate steps to protect their ATMs against these forms of attack and mitigate any consequences.”
The attack mode involves a series of steps to defeat the ATM’s existing security mechanisms and the authorization process for setting the communication within the ATM. Internal communications are used when computer components like the mainboard or the hard disk have to be exchanged for legitimate reasons.
Description of an ATM attack
In a Jackpotting attack, the criminal gains access to the internal infrastructure of the terminal to infect the ATM PC or by completely exchanging the hard disk (HDD). There are a number of steps the attacker has to take for this type of attack:
- The top of the ATM must be opened.
- The original hard disk of the ATM is removed and replaced by another hard disk, which the attackers have loaded with an unauthorized and/or stolen image of ATM platform software.
- In order to pair this new hard drive with the dispenser, the dispenser communication needs to be reset, which is only allowed when the safe door is open. A cable in the ATM is unplugged to fool the machine into allowing the crooks to add their bogus hard drive to the ATM.
- A dedicated button inside the safe needs to be pressed and held to start the dispenser communication. The crooks insert an extension into existing gaps next to the presenter to depress the button. CCTV footage has shown that criminals use an industrial endoscope to complete the task
In other Jackpotting attacks, portions of a third-party multi-vendor application software stack to drive ATM components are used. Brian Krebs at Krebs on Security reports that Secret Service issued a warning that organized criminal gangs have been attacking stand-alone ATMs in the United States using “Ploutus.D,” an advanced strain of jackpotting malware first spotted in 2013.
Mr. Krebs also reports that “During previous attacks, fraudsters dressed as ATM technicians and attached a laptop computer with a mirror image of the ATMs operating system along with a mobile device to the targeted ATM. Once this is complete, fraudsters own the ATM and it will appear Out of Service to potential customers according to the confidential Secret Service alert. At this point, the crook(s) installing the malware will contact co-conspirators who can remotely control the ATMs and force the machines to dispense cash.
“In previous Ploutus.D attacks, the ATM 
continuously dispensed at a rate of 40 bills every 23 seconds,” the alert continues. Once the dispense cycle starts, the only way to stop it is to press cancel on the keypad. Otherwise, the machine is completely emptied of cash, according to the alert. While there are some risks of the money mule being caught by cameras, the speed in which the operation is carried out minimizes the mule’s risk.”
Specific Guidance and Recommendations
The most common forms of logical attack against ATMs are “Black Box” and “Offline Malware”. The steps to minimize the risks to ATMs are the same as any other enterprise device.
- Make sure firmware and software are current with the latest updates, are important protections to mitigate the impact of Black Box attacks. Four out of five cash machines still run Win XP or Win XP Embedded. The Secret Service alert says ATMs still running on Windows XP are particularly vulnerable, and it urged ATM operators to update to at least Windows 7 to defeat this specific type of attack.
- Use secure hard drive encryption protections against Offline Malware
- Use a secure BIOS remote control app to lock the ATM BIOS configuration and protect the configuration with a password.
- Deploying an application whitelisting solution.
- Limit Physical Access to the ATM:
- Use appropriate locking mechanisms to secure the head compartment of the ATM.
- Control access to areas used by staff to service the ATM.
- Implement two-factor authentication (2FA) controls for service technicians.
- Set up secure monitoring
- Use the most secure configuration of encrypted communications. In cases where the complete hard disk is being exchanged, encrypted communications between ATM PC and dispenser protect against the attack.
- Ensure proper hardening and real-time monitoring of security-relevant hardware and software events.
- Investigate suspicious activities like deviating or non-consistent transaction or event patterns, which are caused by an interrupted connection to the dispenser. Monitor unexpected opening of the top hat compartment of the ATM.
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Followers of the Bach Seat know how to secure their PCs, I have written about securing PCs many times here. So the question is why not ATMs? Research says that consumers go into the branch less every year. The experts say that by 2022 customers will visit a branch only 4 times a year. In many cases, ATMs are the bank’s surrogates for most cash transactions. It makes sense to get it right.
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Ralph Bach has been in IT long enough to know better and has blogged from his Bach Seat about IT, careers, and anything else that catches his attention since 2005. You can follow him on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Email the Bach Seat here.
Cyberwar: Countries are vulnerable due to massive dependence on computer systems and a cyber-defense that primarily defends only government and military networks. Many countries realize the crippling potential of cyber attacks against critical infrastructures, such as water, gas, and power, and how difficult it is to defend against them. McAfee Labs expects to see countries prove their cyberwar capabilities in 2012, to send a message.
