Forbes ASAP: How to Hack a Bank

[William Knowles <wk () C4I ORG>]

http://www.forbes.com/asap/00/0403/056.htm

How to Hack a Bank

Electronically knocking over a financial institution isn't easy,
but it's probably not as hard as you think.[1] let's get to work

By David H. Freedman


STEP ONE: THE SETUP

First, we'll pull our core team together. We'll need at least half a
dozen software whizzes to do our hacking,[2] including specialists in
banking application software, wire transfer networks, IBM MVS, Unix,
Sun Microsystems Solaris, or Windows NT (depending on which is
controlling the bank's servers), Windows 95 and 98, and security
software.[3] We'll also want at least one inside person at the
bank.[4] This could be a mid- to low-level employee, a teller,
assistant manager in data processing, or a wire transfer clerk. We
should have someone experienced in physical security, too, as well as
a talented "social engineer" capable of charm and fast talk.

Next, we'll pick our target, avoiding top-tier banks because they're
too well protected. We don't want small community or Internet-only
banks, either, because their limited money supply makes it likely that
managers would instantly notice millions of dollars flying out the
electronic doors. So we target a nice midsize bank.[5]

Finally, like any other business endeavor, we'll need time to get set
up and some seed money-for equipment, living expenses, advances,
bribes, and so on.[6] Two million dollars should do it.[7] Our goal
will be to steal between $10 million and $100 million.[8]

[...]


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"Communications without intelligence is noise;
Intelligence without communications is irrelevant."
Gen. Alfred. M. Gray, USMC
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