Taiwan banks suspend cash withdrawal at ATMs due to malware theft

First Financial Holding

12/07/2016 12:07

TAIPEI, July 12 (Reuters) - At least three major Taiwan 
banks have suspended cash withdrawal services at their Automated 
Teller Machines after First Bank reported T$70 million ($2.2 
million) was stolen from its ATMs. 
     Two individuals withdrew cash from First Bank's ATMs but 
were not seen on close-circuit TV camera to be physically 
operating the machines, First Bank said in a statement. The bank 
discovered the theft on Monday. 
     The theft took place at ATMs manufactured by Wincor Nixdorf 
 WING.DE , First Bank's Executive Vice President Yeh Chung-huei 
said, adding it has about 300 of such ATMs. First Bank is the 
banking arm of First Financial Holding  2892.TW . 
     "We reported to the police yesterday...We've not decided 
when to resume the service of those machines," Yeh said. 
     Initial investigations by police showed the theft was due 
to malware, he said. 
     As a precaution, Chang Hwa Bank  2801.TW  confirmed to 
Reuters it had halted operations at some ATMs made by the German 
company, and state-owned Chunghwa Post Co said in a statement it 
had also suspended some ATMs. 
     Calls made after hours to Wincor Nixdorf's Taiwan office 
went unanswered on Tuesday.   
     An official at the Financial Supervisory Commission, 
Taiwan's top banking and market regulator, said 21 Taiwanese 
banks own 4,990 ATMs made by the Germany company. It was not 
clear how many ATMs across the island had halted cash withdrawal 
operations as a precaution or have been affected by the malware. 
         
 
 (Reporting by Faith Hung; Editing by Jacqueline Wong) 
 ((faith.hung@thomsonreuters.com; 8862 2500 4893; Reuters 
Messaging: faith.hung.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)) 
 
Keywords: TAIWAN BANKS/THEFT