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Not really. Each ATM in India is defended by a human.

by modi15 8y ago

2sk21 8y ago
This is the literal truth. In bigger cities at least, there is usually some kind of a security guard sitting outside ATM kiosks.
dddddaviddddd 8y ago
An ATM needs a network connection, no? Remote exploits may be possible, or remote exploit combined with a local actor to pick up cash under guise of a legitimate withdrawal.
- reaperducer 8y ago
  An ATM needs a network connection, no? No. ATM's weren't always networked. The transactions were reconciled daily or weekly by the local bank, and the network (NYCE, Star, etc...) transactions sent out weekly or monthly. A friend of mine used to leverage this all the time. He would have $200 in his account at his home bank, but withdrawal $500 from a different bank. By the time the transactions got back to his home back, his parents would have already deposited his monthly allowance into his account. It worked... most of the time. But I remember once his parents were out of town and didn't make the deposit as expected, and he ended up massively overdrawn. But back then, the banks just cut you off. They didn't ding you for an overdraft fee, then another overdraft fee a day later because you couldn't pay the first overdraft fee, etc...
  - macintux 8y ago
    ATMs are often cited as an example for the utility of eventual consistency. If it's off the network, it can still offer withdrawals to be reconciled later. Banking in general has been on the eventual consistency model for centuries.
  - astrodust 8y ago
    They can be networked but the banks themselves don't push transactions. They do need to approve the withdrawal though.
msravi 8y ago
Right. And the humans have anti-virus swords and shields to keep those pesky viruses at bay.
0xcafecafe 8y ago
Many are defended by man's best friend https://ahmedabadmirror.indiatimes.com/ahmedabad/others/stray-dogs-encroach-on-atm-kiosk/articleshow/63523505.cms https://ahmedabadmirror.indiatimes.com/ahmedabad/others/stra...

Not really. Each ATM in India is defended by a human.

by modi15 8y ago

Not really. Each ATM in India is defended by a human.

This is the literal truth. In bigger cities at least, there is usually some kind of a security guard sitting outside ATM kiosks.

dddddaviddddd 8y ago

An ATM needs a network connection, no? Remote exploits may be possible, or remote exploit combined with a local actor to pick up cash under guise of a legitimate withdrawal.

reaperducer 8y ago
An ATM needs a network connection, no? No. ATM's weren't always networked. The transactions were reconciled daily or weekly by the local bank, and the network (NYCE, Star, etc...) transactions sent out weekly or monthly. A friend of mine used to leverage this all the time. He would have $200 in his account at his home bank, but withdrawal $500 from a different bank. By the time the transactions got back to his home back, his parents would have already deposited his monthly allowance into his account. It worked... most of the time. But I remember once his parents were out of town and didn't make the deposit as expected, and he ended up massively overdrawn. But back then, the banks just cut you off. They didn't ding you for an overdraft fee, then another overdraft fee a day later because you couldn't pay the first overdraft fee, etc...
- macintux 8y ago
  ATMs are often cited as an example for the utility of eventual consistency. If it's off the network, it can still offer withdrawals to be reconciled later. Banking in general has been on the eventual consistency model for centuries.
- astrodust 8y ago
  They can be networked but the banks themselves don't push transactions. They do need to approve the withdrawal though.

msravi 8y ago

Right. And the humans have anti-virus swords and shields to keep those pesky viruses at bay.

0xcafecafe 8y ago

Many are defended by man's best friend https://ahmedabadmirror.indiatimes.com/ahmedabad/others/stray-dogs-encroach-on-atm-kiosk/articleshow/63523505.cms https://ahmedabadmirror.indiatimes.com/ahmedabad/others/stra...