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Security against ticket theft at ATMs

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Anonim

Everything changes. To protect yourself effectively, you also need to change, and the world of bank security is no exception. When thieves create a new method of theft of banknotes, their counterparts develop a new security solution, before the first ones imagine another method… Here we present an inventory of these techniques that continue to evolve.

Theft of banknotes at ATMs is a frequent criminal act. Although it is rare for stolen loot to reach large sums, this type of theft can be costly for banking agencies when thieves are ambitious and inventive.

In fact, criminals rely less and less on brute force and more on creativity, as new security devices increasingly prevent attempted theft.

New methods

Uninspired thieves generally use classical techniques. Recently, for example, a group of individuals tried to open a money dispenser in the city of Rancagua, Chile, using industrial cutting tools. As is often the case with this type of procedure, based on brute force and basic tools, security systems prevented theft: the alarm went off and the criminals fled before they could open the ATM. In fact, all the automatic vending machines have more or less advanced devices that allow to prevent this type of little elaborate attacks.

Other criminals are more imaginative. Once again in Chile, a gang in Santiago blocked a street to extract the contents of an ATM. The thieves proceeded in a relatively unknown way: they injected large amounts of gas into a vending machine to open the doors and drawers where the money was located. Quite discreet during their operation, the thieves managed to flee without the authorities being able to identify them. The criminals used an effective method that could inspire other criminals.

Most of the assaults, however, are carried out with methods that are ultimately quite simple and common. The use of explosives is, for example, frequent among ATM robbers. The success of these types of actions is highly variable and usually involves great risks.

It is not uncommon, for example, for thieves to use excessive amounts of explosives. British police estimated that more than half of explosive robberies pose a high risk of serious injury to anyone in the vicinity, especially when one takes into account that these machines are normally found in highly frequented places. In short, too many risks for results that are not always satisfactory for criminals.

Increasingly drastic security measures

Criminals don't always know it, but more and more ATMs are equipped with containers designed to neutralize their contents in the event of forced opening or abnormal movement. Most of these containers are manufactured by Oberthur Cash Protection, a world leader in money protection systems and a subsidiary of the Oberthur Fiduciaire Paper Money Printing Group. There are various types of smart bill containers for all stages of ATM maintenance. Suitcases, chests and other containers, which have satellite location systems, release an indelible ink on the banknotes in the event of an improper opening attempt or transport outside the previously programmed coordinates.

The results of the system are such that some countries, such as Belgium, have made its use mandatory. "In this country there has been no case of attack on vans since the transport of money in smart suitcases was imposed," said Patrick Rullier, deputy general manager of Oberthur Cash Protection, a provider of Belgian money carriers.

The current state of protection devices suggests that the use of force in ATM robberies will tend to decrease. However, the road to generalize the use of such devices is still long. Therefore, it will be important to always keep in mind that criminals will not stop looking for new alternatives. In our digital age, the greatest concern is undoubtedly cyber attacks directed directly at ATMs.

In March 2014, the antivirus company Symantec reported, for example, the theft of money from ATMs by sending SMS messages. The criminals used the messaging system to communicate with the ticket dispenser and order it to deliver all its contents.

The physical security of banknotes has improved considerably, but the risk of theft still exists. Thieves constantly seek and find new ways to commit crimes. It is very likely that the next form of attack on ATMs will be computer science. It should be noted that 95% of the world's ATMs operate with Windows XP and that Microsoft officially abandoned the maintenance of this operating system in April 2014.

In theory, the vast majority of money dispensers are then at the disposal of criminals, something that surely gives pause to banks as well as thieves.

Security against ticket theft at ATMs