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Hackers spot fake ATM. Could you?

By Sean Michael Kerner on August 3, 2009 9:28 AM

From the 'carbon receipts' files:

Over the weekend, there were multiple reports of a rogue ATM machine at the Defcon conference in Las Vegas. The story is that there was some kind of fake ATM machine that was allegedly skimming users info.

Defcon attendees spotted the rogue and it got removed.

Goes to show that you shouldn't try and hack a hacker right? The irony of the situation is that there was supposed to be a presentation at Defcon on how to 'hack' (or jackpot) legitimate ATM machines - a talk that got pulled by the vendor.

The larger question in my mind though is - Would I (or would you) be able to spot a fake ATM?

It's not usually an easy task. In the Defcon case, the reports note that there was something suspicious about the ATM unit itself. That's usually the first clue. If the cash machine doesn't look 'right' it probably isn't.

The second clue, in cases that I'm aware of, is when a legitimate machine has had some kind of shim/skimmer in place where the card input slot is. So if it looks like the card slot has been opened/cracked/tampered with -- it probably has.

The reality in all cases is that a good 'fake' ATM can often be difficult to spot. In my opinion, the onus of responsibility falls on the site owners who should ensure the security and authenticity of ATM put on their premises. Beyond that -- ATM users beware!

But there are things that you can do to protect yourself.

What I recommend is a second ATM card - attached to a bank account (or credit card) with a low balance - in addition to a primary one. Use the second - low value card- when traveling or using ATMs that are not from your own bank. No that won't protect you entirely but it will help to reduce risk (a little).

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