adminYou’ve got to give it to them. Hackers come up with some ingenious, albeit Machiavellian, plans to rob consumers of their private data. The latest method of capturing ill-gotten information to sell or utilize in fraudulent activities involves using wearable technology to filch ATM PINS.
According to new research from the Stevens Institute of Technology, hackers can determine ATM PINs with amazing accuracy with motion detecting software on a smartwatch or fitness tracker. The university study showed that 80 percent of ATM PINs could be predicted with just one try, and 90 percent could be predicted after three attempts, according to an article in CU Today.
“The researchers used a test group of 20 people to enter 5,000 different PINs on a combination of machine-mounted ATM keypads, detachable ATM keypads, and QWERTY keyboards,” explained Bill Hardekopf, CEO of LowCards.com.
Using sensors embedded in the devices, researchers could extrapolate the PIN based on the way the wearable device moved during the entry. The scientists worked backwards, identifying a time when a person hit “Enter” and then tracked the numbers that preceded that motion. They used the existing motion sensors on the wristbands to monitor hand movements by the millimeter.
Read more at CU Today.
