02:34 PM
Swedish Banker Unplugs Fraudsters
Wow. Talk about catching something in the nick of time. According to an AP report, a gang of fraudsters in Sweden were just seconds from pulling off a heist worth millions when an alert bank employee literally yanked the plug on the activity.Apparently, the audacious criminals left sophisticated electronic equipment under the banker's desk that allowed them to remotely take control of the worker's computer. The banker only discovered the device when he noticed a transfer for millions was suddenly being made to an account outside the bank. With fast thinking and commonsense, the banker yanked his computer's plug from the outlet.
Exactly how the device was planted hasn't been explained, but it's probably safe to say that the bank (which hasn't been named) is seriously re-evaluating its security procedures-and this time it seems like physical security is coming into focus as well.
It is important not to lose sight of the physical when it comes to keeping things safe at banks. Sometimes this very basic tenet of safety is overlooked in favor of flashier, more trendy IT security. The two actually are very interconnected and only by keeping both types of security in mind can banks ever truly have an all encompassing security policy. That and having some quick-thinking employees helps a bit too!