ATM Security Alert : skimming attacks

Recently, several successful skimming attacks have been recorded. Attackers are using the same skimming technique, as communicated through our NewsIT on 9 February 2022: the use of a new type of Ultra-Thin Deep Insert Skimmer that can successfully operate inside Motorised Tamper Resistant Card Readers.

This new skimmer may significantly increase the number of card jams, but it should be noted that some cards can be successfully skimmed before the occurrence of a jam.

Deep Insert Skimmers cannot be detected or prevented by fascia skimming prevention solutions such as NCR Skimming Protection Solution (SPS) or third-party equivalents.

The most common indicators of deep inserts are card jams and read failures. 

Since skimming attacks work in tandem with a hidden PIN capture Camera, Banks should consider the presence of any small holes in vicinity of the Pin pad as being suspicious.

Additional hardware upgrade countermeasures for ultra-thin, Deep Insert Skimmers are in development by NCR. A mechanical inhibitor is now available and an internal skimmer detection upgrade is scheduled for early 2023

Card issuers can limit the impact of skimming by increasing security checks on any magnetic stripe transaction authorisations that originate from chip cards in an ATM. All transactions on chip-enabled ATMs should be processed as an EMV transaction (Europay, Mastercard and Visa). Any chip card transaction processed on an ATM using the magnetic stripe is vulnerable to skimming.

Card Skimming 

• Card skimming copies magnetic data from a card and uses it to create a cloned card which can be used to withdraw funds from the target account. 
• Skimming is an attack on old magnetic technology. EMV technology creates unique data per transaction which cannot be reused if skimmed. 
• Card Issuers can prevent skimming losses by ceasing to authorize magnetic transactions.

For more information on the topic and our Technology Solutions & Services, please contact us by mail technology@birger.technology.

Stay Secure and Safe.

BIRGER.