5 ms·

Embedded software is easy to hack. Spend quite a bit of money getting access to the binary running a common ATM platform. Reverse engineer it. Find a vulnerabil

by rhexs 9y ago

Embedded software is easy to hack. Spend quite a bit of money getting access to the binary running a common ATM platform. Reverse engineer it. Find a vulnerability. Trigger it. Done! The age of (common) embedded system exploitation is finally upon us.

cjensen 9y ago
The "hack" in question involves replacing the hard drive. This isn't an embedded issue. This is a physical access to OS issue.
- polishninja 9y ago
  It doesn't help that almost all the fascia locks on each vendor's machines are a standard key. With that standard key, you have full access to the computer or embedded device drive. Nowadays the communication link to the dispenser is encrypted, making swapping the hard drive useless. The real problem is the machines aren't replaced very often so there are quite a few old models out in the field that are susceptible to these sort of attacks.
  - colejohnson66 9y ago
    > It doesn't help that almost all the fascia locks on each vendor's machines are a standard key. Interesting. Is there a source for this?
    - namibj 9y ago
      There is a defcon talk about jackpotting ATMs.
- icebraining 9y ago
  The "hack" in question involves replacing the hard drive. Secure Boot should be able to prevent this even with physical access.
  - webreac 9y ago
    I do not understand. If a legitimate version of windows is installed on the hard drive, how secure boot will stop it ?
    - solatic 9y ago
      You're thinking of Secure Boot as it's typically used, where firmware on the motherboard verifies that the kernel is signed by whoever wrote the kernel, e.g. Microsoft. But there's no reason you couldn't have the motherboard OEM load, say, the ATM manufacturer's public key, and have Secure Boot verify that the kernel has been signed by the ATM manufacturer. Then the motherboard will refuse to boot an OS which wasn't signed by the ATM manufacturer, even if it's otherwise "pure".

by rhexs 9y ago

cjensen 9y ago

The "hack" in question involves replacing the hard drive. This isn't an embedded issue. This is a physical access to OS issue.

polishninja 9y ago
It doesn't help that almost all the fascia locks on each vendor's machines are a standard key. With that standard key, you have full access to the computer or embedded device drive. Nowadays the communication link to the dispenser is encrypted, making swapping the hard drive useless. The real problem is the machines aren't replaced very often so there are quite a few old models out in the field that are susceptible to these sort of attacks.
- colejohnson66 9y ago
  > It doesn't help that almost all the fascia locks on each vendor's machines are a standard key. Interesting. Is there a source for this?
  - namibj 9y ago
    There is a defcon talk about jackpotting ATMs.
icebraining 9y ago
The "hack" in question involves replacing the hard drive. Secure Boot should be able to prevent this even with physical access.
- webreac 9y ago
  I do not understand. If a legitimate version of windows is installed on the hard drive, how secure boot will stop it ?
  - solatic 9y ago
    You're thinking of Secure Boot as it's typically used, where firmware on the motherboard verifies that the kernel is signed by whoever wrote the kernel, e.g. Microsoft. But there's no reason you couldn't have the motherboard OEM load, say, the ATM manufacturer's public key, and have Secure Boot verify that the kernel has been signed by the ATM manufacturer. Then the motherboard will refuse to boot an OS which wasn't signed by the ATM manufacturer, even if it's otherwise "pure".