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Virus hits Windows-based cashpoints

Daniel Fleshbourne   on 09 December 2003 - 10:12 · 28 comments & 2051 views

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Cashpoints at two US banks have been infected by viruses, with similar breaches tipped to become more common. Automatic teller machines at two banks running Microsoft's popular Windows software were infected by a computer virus in August, the maker of the machines said on Monday. The ATM infections, first reported by SecurityFocus.com, are believed to be the first of a computer virus wiggling directly onto cash machines.

Computer security experts predicted more problems to come as Windows migrates to critical systems consumers rely on. An unknown number of ATMs running Windows XP Embedded were shut down during the spread of the so-called "Nachi'' worm, said officials at Diebold, which made the ATMs and refused to name the customers affected. The Nachi worm, also called "Welchia,'' was written to clean up after the MSBlast, or Blaster, worm. Instead it crippled or congested networks around the world, including the check-in system at Air Canada. Both worms spread through a hole in Windows XP, 2000, NT and Server 2003.

In January, the SQL Slammer worm led to technical problems that temporarily kept Bank of America's customers from their cash, but did not directly cause the ATM outage. "It's a harbinger of things to come,'' said Bruce Schneier, chief technical officer of network monitoring firm Counterpane Internet Security.

View: The full story
News source: ZDNet UK


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* Transparency of tips in Windows XP
* Changing time of opening and closing of tips
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Bug fixed:
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* Impossible to run My Computer from desktop virtual folder
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Mail Monitor 1.9.5 beta

Post a comment · Send to friend Comments · There are 28 additional comments
(1 reply) #1 Quick Reply on 09 Dec 2003 - 10:17
wow just imagine what you could do with a backdoor on one of those without anyone knowing
#1.1 Harsesis on 09 Dec 2003 - 10:23
Chances are you'd get caught

Prolly checks in place to notice missing money/iffy transactions

But if you could without getting caught you could make money up
#2 Jon on 09 Dec 2003 - 10:36
Don't you think there are bigger and better targets if you can penetrate a banks network? A cash machine probably holds a stupidly insignificant amount of cash / power over accounts.
(1 reply) #3 Quick Reply on 09 Dec 2003 - 10:57
not if you can record the input of CC numbers/pins

im not saying im gonna do it, but it certainly is possible
#3.1 Jon on 09 Dec 2003 - 11:15
lol no you miss the point.

CC numbers / Pins etc are ways to access limited amounts of cash. If someone was to penetrate the network, sniff domain admin details etc, they could find their way into the real money, the central respository if you like. A system that allows you to perform xfers from accounts in bulk, etc.

And obviously I'm talking about this from a security admin POV not a "hell this is a good idea" POV.
#4 YaZoR on 09 Dec 2003 - 11:47
Oh how hilarious. Why do I find this so funny?

I can just imagine going to a cash machine, inserting my card and then the screen flashes a couple of time, and starts to play pong. That would be so funny.
#5 Godzilla on 09 Dec 2003 - 11:51
This is the most outrage crap i have read in a long time, I now believe that ATM blue screen photo is real
(2 replies) #6 nookadum on 09 Dec 2003 - 12:06
I thought most banks used UNIX-based systems for this kind of thing? And even though it's Windows, why didn't they keep the boxes updated? Didn't a fix for hole come up?
#6.1 p-xl on 09 Dec 2003 - 12:26
and i thought they were closed off from the net? sounds like internal sabotage
#6.2 markjensen on 09 Dec 2003 - 15:04
I thought most banks used UNIX-based systems for this kind of thing?

Actually, a large percentabe of them of them have used OS/2. Bank of America has just announced that they are in the process of converting to an embedded version of NT (I beleive it was stripped-down NT4). Seems to me like going from one old technology to another... If something works, stick with it! Even if it is DOS 6.22!
(1 reply) #7 rbanksy on 09 Dec 2003 - 12:32
I have no sympathy for banks that use MS operating systems on the ATM machines.

The amount of windows ATM's i have seen with red cross errors is also amusing. Other than to have 'pretty' colours there is no need to use MS on ATM's, stupidity!

I also find them more anoying to use and slower. (well the software) Its like do you want this? do you want do this? NO i just want some money!
#7.1 bluebsh on 09 Dec 2003 - 14:12
I have no sympathy for banks that use embedded linux systems.. just as vonerable... the problem isn't the OS but the fact they are connected to a public internet, not a private system created by the banks... which is how it use to be done though phone lines and such...
(1 reply) #8 Sub on 09 Dec 2003 - 14:12
As much of a Windows supporter as I am, what the hell are they doing running it on ATM machines?
#8.1 kussie on 09 Dec 2003 - 16:47
hehe you said Automatic Teller Machine Machine's
(2 replies) #9 RaWShadow on 09 Dec 2003 - 14:16
Don't the ATM's have an anti-virus?
#9.1 PseudoRandomDragon on 09 Dec 2003 - 15:10
Yeah, its Norton ATM anti-virus Pro. Now all they need is ZoneLabs ATM Integrity.
#9.2 Jon on 09 Dec 2003 - 16:34
and then the bloating process will be complete.
#10 badall on 09 Dec 2003 - 15:12
a bank near me has atms that get bsod's and gets the error "this program has performed an illegal operation" all the time, it looks like nt4 they are useing
#11 cq107 on 09 Dec 2003 - 15:29
I don't know why they switched from OS/2 .... It ran so much faster...
(1 reply) #12 STV on 09 Dec 2003 - 16:25
I know this sounds very naive, but why do people feel the need to write viruses and cause damage. can't they do something better with their time.
#12.1 Digital Oracle on 09 Dec 2003 - 17:14
There are people out there that enjoy power, information, who do it for the sake of it, for greater wealth and mainly because they can. But I would think until Windows NT line has proved itself with sercurity and reliability on server/desktop market, then it shouldn't........ be used on such crittical systems. Last thing I want to see it a BSOD as take my dosh out.

Excepts, maybe just before it closes the draw where it gives u your money, Then maybe free cash and it would be upto the banks to solve the prob. Imgine, like u see in some films, firing out tons to cash like a fountain
(3 replies) #13 Heathen on 09 Dec 2003 - 16:30
I'm an ATM tech. I won't say for which company... but a big one Most of our older ATMs are running OS2 which is stable and all some banks need. Newer machines have Win2K on them. These are the ones vunerable I guess.

As for getting PIN numbers... don't bet on it. All PIN numbers are encrypted by the ATM and decoded by the bank. Each ATM has a different encryption set.

#13.1 Jon on 09 Dec 2003 - 16:35
How are the ATMs networked?

I thought most ATMs still used X25 because it was so reliable.
#13.2 Digital Oracle on 09 Dec 2003 - 17:20
I saw in the Boots chemisty shops in the UK, there vouncher system which uses an ATM like machine, which by luck I discovered by chance, (I was just a customer passing). One machine they have, loaded W2K Pro, but not the boots vouncher software. Another machine, was showing a BSOD with a crash dump. At least these machine weren't critical systems, but you shouldn't see these sorts of BSODs with the dump output when your out shopping At least if it BSOD'ed, the error should be more graceful, like "An error has occure, we appologies for the inconvenece. We will try to fix this problem as soon as possible."
#13.3 markjensen on 09 Dec 2003 - 22:05
As for getting PIN numbers... don't bet on it. All PIN numbers are encrypted by the ATM and decoded by the bank. Each ATM has a different encryption set.

I agree with you on security.

I have less to fear about OS security issues (regardless of MS, Linux, OS2, DOS) than someone looking over my shoulder (or with a covert video cam) and mugging me!

This is nothing to start an OS war over... lol
#14 tscallions on 09 Dec 2003 - 19:19
I think it will eventually come to large companies have a security department that is seperate from the IT Department. I am the IT guy for the local office of a worldwide company. Even though my network at this office is small and easliy managable, most of my job duties keep me far from the office. It can be difficult at times to keep everything current on all the machines when administration only accounts for 5% of work time. This is why I think larger compaines will need to hire people that are responsible soley for Workstation, Comm Room, etc. security. I can't imagine having 500-1000 users to admin and also working in the field as much as I do.
(1 reply) #15 AshUK on 09 Dec 2003 - 19:34
I wouldnt dare stick my card in one of these Windows based machines
#15.1 matric on 09 Dec 2003 - 22:28
QUOTE
I wouldnt dare stick my card in one of these Windows based machines

That's a stupid statement. That is like saying "I won't ever go into an aeroplane because there is a chance it may crash! What's the weather like inside your bubble today?

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