I worked for Dr. M. Attalla who had a significant hand in designing the ATM
network's security system. The major security concern was not so much to
protect the individual user but the entire system. For example, if several
cards where stolen along with their pins, then other cards and pins could
not be derived from them and used effectively. The most serious threat I
ever heard of in recent times was when someone placed a fake ATM in a
local mall and managed to steal the cards & pins of several hundred people
over the course of some days. You never hear of problems like with Visa
where tens of thousand of cards get stolen and used.

- Alex

At 09:47 PM 2/9/2001 +0000, Ben Laurie wrote:
>There was some discussion recently about an ATM scam where your card
>gets swallowed, whilst an "innocent bystander" shoulder-surfs your PIN.
>
>I've been updated on how this works - the mechanism is known as a
>"Lebanese Loop". Apparently its a piece of kit that looks to the machine
>like a card with a mag stripe, but is in fact a dummy card slot that
>fits inside the real card slot. It allows the real card to be accepted
>by the machine, but blocks its return. The bystander observes this, and,
>if he hasn't got your pin the first time, advises you that entering your
>pin again may clear the problem. Of course, it doesn't. When you leave
>in disgust, they remove the mechanism, including your trapped card, and
>go on a spending spree.
>
>With a bit of handwaving, it is really clear how this works
>mechanically, but I regret I can't figure out how to do this in email.
>
>Anyway, I'm told that most ATMs have defences against this mechanism
>now, so I and my informant are surprised it is still effective. The
>attack is several years old.
>
>Cheers,
>
>Ben.
>
>--
>http://www.apache-ssl.org/ben.html
>
>"There is no limit to what a man can do or how far he can go if he
>doesn't mind who gets the credit." - Robert Woodruff
>

--
Alex Alten
AltenHome.Com

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