The Hacker News - Cybersecurity News and Analysis: Credit Card Skimmers

In what's one of the most innovative hacking campaigns, cybercrime gangs are now hiding malicious code implants in the metadata of image files to covertly steal payment card information entered by visitors on the hacked websites. "We found skimming code hidden within the metadata of an image file (a form of steganography) and surreptitiously loaded by compromised online stores," Malwarebytes researchers said last week. "This scheme would not be complete without yet another interesting variation to exfiltrate stolen credit card data. Once again, criminals used the disguise of an image file to collect their loot." The evolving tactic of the operation, widely known as web skimming or a Magecart attack, comes as bad actors are finding different ways to inject JavaScript scripts, including misconfigured AWS S3 data storage buckets and exploiting content security policy to transmit data to a Google Analytics account under their control. Using Steganography

Cybersecurity researchers today uncovered an ongoing new Magecart skimmer campaign that so far has successfully compromised at least 19 different e-commerce websites to steal payment card details of their customers. According to a report published today and shared with The Hacker News, RiskIQ researchers spotted a new digital skimmer, dubbed " MakeFrame ," that injects HTML iframes into web-pages to phish payment data. MakeFrame attacks have been attributed to Magecart Group 7 for its approach of using the compromised sites to host the skimming code, load the skimmer on other compromised websites, and siphon off the stolen data. Magecart attacks usually involve bad actors compromising a company's online store to siphon credit card numbers and account details of users who're making purchases on the infected site by placing malicious JavaScript skimmers on payment forms. It's the latest in a series of attacks by Magecart, an umbrella term for eight diffe

In recent years, gas stations have become one of the favorite targets for thieves who are stealing customers' credit and debit card information by installing a Bluetooth-enabled payment card skimmers at gas stations across the nation. The media has also reported several recent crimes surrounding credit card skimmers, including: Gas pump skimmer found at a 7-Eleven in Pinellas County Credit card skimmer found at West Palm Beach gas station Credit Card Skimmer Found at Gas Station in Sunnyvale Several Gas Pump Credit Card Skimmers Found at Bay Area Stations Gas pump credit card skimmers found at Boerne stations Credit card skimmers target Anthem Circle K For those unaware, Bluetooth credit card skimmer is a tiny sneaky device designed to stealthily capture payment card information, like credit card holder's card number, expiration date and the full name, which nearby thieves then retrieve wirelessly over a Bluetooth connection. Since these devices have been des

Magecart strikes again! Cybersecurity researchers have identified yet another supply-chain attack carried out by payment card hackers against more than 17,000 web domains, which also include websites in the top 2,000 of Alexa rankings. Since Magecart is neither a single group nor a specific malware instead an umbrella term given to all those cyber criminal groups and individuals who inject digital card skimmers on compromised websites, it is not necessary for every one of them to use similar techniques with the same sophistication. A new report shared with The Hacker News prior to its release details a new supply-chain attack campaign wherein hackers are using shotgun approach instead of targeted attacks to infect a wide range of websites, preferring larger infection reach as possible over accuracy. Almost two months ago, security researchers from RiskIQ discovered supply-chain attacks involving credit card skimmers placed on several web-based suppliers, including AdMaxi

In a world that's growing increasingly digital, Magecart attacks have emerged as a key cybersecurity threat to e-commerce sites. Magecart, which is in the news a lot lately, is an umbrella term given to 12 different cyber criminal groups that are specialized in secretly implanting a special piece of code on compromised e-commerce sites with an intent to steal payment card details of their customers. The malicious code—well known as JS sniffers, JavaScript sniffers, or online credit card skimmers—has been designed to intercept users' input on compromised websites to steal customers' bank card numbers, names, addresses, login details, and passwords in real time. Magecart made headlines last year after cybercriminals conducted several high-profile heists involving major companies including British Airways , Ticketmaster , and Newegg , with online bedding retailers MyPillow and Amerisleep being recent victims of these attacks. The initial success of these attacks alread

Cybersecurity researchers today disclosed details of two newly identified Magecart attacks targeting online shoppers of bedding retailers MyPillow and Amerisleep . Magecart is an umbrella term researchers gave to at least 11 different hacking groups that are specialized in implanting malware code on e-commerce websites with an intent to steal payment card details of their customers silently. Magecart made headlines last year after attackers conducted several high-profile cyber attacks against major international companies including British Airways , Ticketmaster , and Newegg . Magecart hackers use a digital payment card skimmer, a few lines of malicious Javascript code they insert into the checkout page of hacked websites and designed to captured payment information of customers in real time and then send it to a remote attacker-controlled server. Earlier this year, Magecart attackers also compromised nearly 277 e-commerce websites in a supply-chain attack by inserting its

Card Skimmers have been around for years, but the video posted below is a perfect example of the evolution of the technology used by thieves. The video released by Miami Beach Police involved two men who work as a team to install a credit card Skimmer on top of a card terminal at a local gas station in LESS THAN 3 SECONDS . Yes, in just less than 3 seconds hackers can turn a regular credit and debit card reader into a Skimmer – a device designed to secretly steal a victim's credit or debit card information. The two men were caught on video by a security camera, but it all happened so fast that one might have to rewatch the video to actually catch the crime. Miami Beach Police have published the video of the cyber crook and his partner, who was tasked with distracting the station's clerk, in the hopes that someone recognizes the criminals and helps track them down. Video Demonstration: Here's What Happened: The incident took place on We

Next time just be careful while swiping your credit card at small retailers or trendy stores that use Square Reader to accept credit card payments. The increasingly popular and widely used Square Reader can be easily turned into a skimming device that can be used to steal your credit card data, a group of researchers warned. Square Reader is a tiny device that allows small retailers to easily accept credit and debit card payments without having to spend the money on the traditional point of sale systems. However, despite its convenience, this cheap and easy-to-use alternative has a critical flaw that could allow anyone to easily steal your payment card information. All an attacker need is a screwdriver, superglue, and roughly 10 minutes to turn the latest generation Square Reader into a tiny, portable card skimmer . Converting a New Generation Square Reader into a Card Skimmer? A team of three security researchers from Boston University has discovered a w

Banks have tried every effort, from providing Magnetic Stripes based Credit and Debit Cards to Chip-and-Pin Cards , in order to secure its users from credit card cloning and card Skimmers. It has been known from years that Magnetic stripe are incredibly hackable, but  Chip-n-Pin cards have also been hacked and successfully cloned by a group of security researchers. A unit of Canada's Bank of Montreal, BMO Harris Bank is  launching  the U.S.'s biggest cardless ATM network that allows its customers to withdraw cash within seconds, using nothing but their smartphones. NO CARD, NO PIN, JUST YOUR SMARTPHONE According to the bank, there is no need to enter PIN and instead of swiping the card, customers have to sign into mobile banking app " Mobile Cash ", hold their smartphones over the QR code on the ATM screen and the cash gets delivered. This cardless cash withdrawal technology will boost security, speed up transactions and reduce frauds because no card informat