"Bank of the West Customers Hit by ATM Skimmer Attack"

A series of suspicious cash withdrawal attempts from a bank with locations across the US revealed a number of ATM devices used to steal customer account information. An investigation revealed that a number of customers' debit card numbers, related PINs, and perhaps names and addresses had been hacked. The stolen data might have been used to make fake debit cards and make withdrawal attempts from accounts belonging to actual customers. According to bank Chief Operating Officer Karl Werwath, a "limited number of ATMs" had skimmers implanted by unidentified fraudsters. Over the past two decades, the threat of ATM skimming has increased as criminals have learned to install difficult-to-detect electronic devices onto ATMs, such as fake card readers and keyboards that capture payment card data. Some data suggests that, while still harmful, skimming attacks are becoming less common. However, ATMs remain a popular target for thieves, whose tactics range from transaction reversal fraud to physically prying the cash box open. According to data from the most recent IBM X-Force Threat Intelligence Index Report, the financial sector was the target of 22.4 percent of cyberattacks in 2021, with 70 percent of those attacks targeting banks, 16 percent targeting insurance companies, and 14 percent targeting other financial organizations. This article continues to discuss the ATM skimmer attack on Bank of the West customers, mitigation measures, and the persistent targeting of the financial sector by cybercriminals.

DataBreachToday reports "Bank of the West Customers Hit by ATM Skimmer Attack"