This isn’t the first time a crime was committed with 3D printing technology, and it won’t be the last. Curiously, it’s exactly the same kind of crime: ATM skimming!Krebs on Security details the plot, in which perps carefully replaced the “card reader” portion of a California Chase Bank ATM with their own compromised version. Not only would this component record the card’s mag stripe contents, but also included a pinhole camera (see image above) to visually capture the customer’s PIN code entry. The precision of 3D printing allowed them to create this amazing replica, sufficiently accurate to fool most customers. But not all, alas.
The compromised components included much more than just the 3D printed part, as there were electronics and communications systems involved, too.
When one worries about the crime of copying 3D objects, we think this is even more insidious: copying objects so that they seem identical but are in fact not. As always, be careful when you use ATMs or other card reader devices. If you see anything that doesn’t look right (e.g. pinholes) best report it to the appropriate authorities.
Be sure to read all the deets at Krebs’ post below.
