DefCon hackers crack ATM scam

An attendee at the DefCon security conference has reportedly uncovered an ATM scam targeting guests at a popular Las Vegas hotel.

According to a Forbes report, the attendee discovered a phony machine located in the casino section of the Riviera Hotel, which was hosting the annual hacking and security research convention.

The fraudulent machine was said to be operating as an unbranded ATM and was only spotted when the attendee noticed abnormalities with the machine's LED lights and glass display screen.

Upon further inspection, the machine was found to be housing a PC which was believed to be logging card information and PIN numbers for future fraud and identity theft operations.

The bogus machine and its contents have been handed over to law enforcement.

The fake machine is part of what has becoming a booming criminal industry around the procurement and trading of bank and credit card information.

Cybercriminals have used tactics ranging from fake and compromised ATM machines to phishing and keylogging tools to obtain card information in a practice known as 'carding.'

The stolen information is then sold online through IRC channels or forums such as the infamous and now-defunct "Dark Market" site and ultimately used for identity theft and fraud operations.