Cybersecurity experts have warned of the distribution of a new strain of ‘malware’ aimed at ATMs in Europe, which can withdraw amounts of up to 30,000 dollars (about 28,000 euros) and has unprecedented effectiveness, since it works 99 percent percent of cases.
ATM attacks are very profitable, because they provide “live” money. They are also accessible, since advertisements for malicious programs or special devices designed to withdraw money from different ATMs frequently appear on the ‘dark web’, as indicated by Kaspersky.
Researchers from this firm have advanced the existence of a new strain of ‘malware’, based on the XFS standard, which provides an application programming interface (API) to manage different internal modules of ATMs independently. manufacturer.
Over the years of analyzing ATM security, a series of tools have been developed to test the possibility of withdrawing cash from them. The first of these was registered more than a decade ago, when most of these ATMs ran Windows XP.
This tool still works on the latest versions of the operating system, regardless of the ATM type (NCR, Diebold, GRG, Hyosung, etc.). Using the characteristics of the aforementioned standard, you can access the vulnerabilities that allow these ATMs to be emptied.
So much so that, according to the cybersecurity firm, the dispensing of cash can be completely automated and only requires the physical action of withdrawing the bills from the ATM.
Thus, he has pointed out that the new strain of EU ATM ‘malware’ is 99 percent effective in European ATMs and up to 60 percent effective in ATMs in other countries. This suggests that this malware has been created specifically for devices from Europe.
Kaspersky has finally pointed out that this malicious software “is very attractive to criminals” because it allows you to withdraw up to $30,000 (about 28,000 euros) from a single ATM. Likewise, he has indicated that its different payment methods (via subscription, demo version, etc.) indicate the existence of organized and well-prepared developers, which can increase its spread.
