Last week the blog 'KrebsOnSecurity' reported that U.S. based Fidelity National Information Services Inc. (FIS) had incurred a loss of of approximately US$13 million related to unauthorised activities involving one client and 22 prepaid cards. While the attack took place in March, it has been largely unreported in the media and full details of the resultant investigation have not yet been released.
Apparently the balances on these prepaid cards aren’t stored on the cards themselves; rather the card numbers correspond to records in a central database, where the balances are recorded. Some prepaid cards cannot be used once their balance has been exhausted, but the prepaid cards used in this attack could be replenished by adding funds.
Showing posts with label hacking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hacking. Show all posts
Saturday, 3 September 2011
Tuesday, 8 February 2011
Russian hacker admits guilt for RBS Worldpay $9.4 million loss....
In 2008 an international gang carried out an attack that involved fraudulent cash withdrawals from around 2,100 ATMs in 280 cities across the world in less than 12 hours. Some of the countries affected were Russia, the Ukraine, USA, Canada, Estonia, Italy, Hong Kong and Japan.
This was possible because of a cyber attack on the computer systems of RBS Worldpay (which was sold by Royal Bank of Scotland last year). The cyber attack compromised the encryption used by the Worldpay processor to protect customer data on payroll debit cards. This allowed the hackers to increase the account limits on 44 counterfeit payroll debit cards which were then quickly used for cash withdrawal by the gang's contacts at the ATMs across the world. Around $9.4 million was taken during the 12 hour period.
Yevgeny Anikin who was part of the international hacking operation, pleaded guilty in a Russian Court and was given a five year suspended sentence. According to RIA News he said "I want to say that I repent and fully admit my guilt". He also claims to have started to repay some of the amount stolen. He has been under house arrest since 2009 and has used some of the stolen money to buy two apartments and a luxury car.
According to Finextra (http://www.finextra.com/news/fullstory.aspx?newsitemid=22247) a leading member of the gang, Viktor Pleshchuk, got off with a suspended six year sentence from a Russian Court.
His fellow ringleader, Estonian Sergei Tsurikov has been less fortunate; he was extradited to the US to face charges which, if found guilty could see him jailed for up to 35 years.
This was possible because of a cyber attack on the computer systems of RBS Worldpay (which was sold by Royal Bank of Scotland last year). The cyber attack compromised the encryption used by the Worldpay processor to protect customer data on payroll debit cards. This allowed the hackers to increase the account limits on 44 counterfeit payroll debit cards which were then quickly used for cash withdrawal by the gang's contacts at the ATMs across the world. Around $9.4 million was taken during the 12 hour period.
Yevgeny Anikin who was part of the international hacking operation, pleaded guilty in a Russian Court and was given a five year suspended sentence. According to RIA News he said "I want to say that I repent and fully admit my guilt". He also claims to have started to repay some of the amount stolen. He has been under house arrest since 2009 and has used some of the stolen money to buy two apartments and a luxury car.
According to Finextra (http://www.finextra.com/news/fullstory.aspx?newsitemid=22247) a leading member of the gang, Viktor Pleshchuk, got off with a suspended six year sentence from a Russian Court.
His fellow ringleader, Estonian Sergei Tsurikov has been less fortunate; he was extradited to the US to face charges which, if found guilty could see him jailed for up to 35 years.
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