Second-hand ATM machines containing sensitive transaction data are easily
available for purchase on eBay or even Craiglist, according to an investigation
by a US-based security consultant.
Robert Siciliano, a security consultant to Intelius.com and personal ID theft
expert, was able to buy an ATM machine through Craigslist for $750 from a bar in
Boston. The previous owners hadn’t taken the trouble to clear out the data
stored by the machines, making it possible for Siciliano to easily extract a log
of hundreds of credit and debit card account numbers and transaction details.