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Hacker serving 5-year sentence invents ATM add-on to prevent theft

arstechnica.com

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Re: Hacker serving 5-year sentence invents ATM add-on to prevent theft

#2
Why are ATMs not 100% flat with 3 holes - for a keypad, note delivery and a hole for the bank card to go in. A skimming device can then not be added without making it very obvious the ATM has been altered.

An ATM could also have a video camera installed that monitors the area where the card is entered - if something changes the ATM does not work and a warning message is displayed.

Re: Hacker serving 5-year sentence invents ATM add-on to prevent theft

#4
post #2

Why are ATMs not 100% flat with 3 holes - for a keypad, note delivery and a hole for the bank card to go in. A skimming device can then not be added without making it very obvious the ATM has been altered. An ATM could also have a video camera installed that monitors the area where the card is entered - if something changes the ATM does not work and a warning message is displayed.

That wouldn't stop somebody from adding a flat facade over the whole ATM.

Re: Hacker serving 5-year sentence invents ATM add-on to prevent theft

#7
Nice innovation. Being a convicted hacker myself and serving time in a federal camp, I give him credit for wanting to make amends, that is definitely an awesome motivation...not buying the part about being happy about being caught (forced intervention), since I know from experience and people I've met.

I understand being liberated, starting your consequence (the nickel sentence), and feeling hope of change when your out....but to simply put it...."happy," is a strong word. I know this may come off as semantics, but when you talk about 5yrs of someone's life, happiness does not come to mind.

Re: Hacker serving 5-year sentence invents ATM add-on to prevent theft

#9
Clever. Won't survive in the field though, sorry.

ATMs have metallic keypads and as few moving parts as possible for one simple reason, which is vandalism. People will hit and break ATM display in anger, because it didn't register their touch selection made with a hotdog. They will break, bend, twist and pull apart anything that as much as hints that it's possible. Something that swings 90 degrees and requires reasonably precise alignment of moving parts to work - that's just asking for it.

Re: Hacker serving 5-year sentence invents ATM add-on to prevent theft

#10

I'd be surprised if this got implemented as it only costs the bank money without moving any more liability onto you.

Banks already are liable for much of the fraud that would result from skimmed PIN or credit card data, so stuff like this would help the bank directly.
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