Two gas stations in St. Louis, Mo., lost up to $10,000 when thieves worked out a way to get free gas by hacking into electronically controlled pumps, The Register reports.The story states that the thieves reprogrammed internal keypads to dispense free gas after opening up the actual pumps; subsequent customers then took advantage of the ruse to avoid paying as well.“(The thieves) have a key to the pump, and then after they open up the pump they go in and they reprogram the pump, so they can have free gas,” Kevin Tippit, manager of the Phillips 66 gas station, told KSDK News Channel 5.The Register mentioned that it would be fairly obvious to attendants when someone tampers with internal keypads, but according to Tippit, it bypasses the system. “It goes beyond the register and is drawing directly off the pumps,” he said.Gas station employees don’t have access to the codes to the interior keypads, the story states, and since the thefts, Mobil Food Mart contacted the supplier, who removed the keypads from the pumps. Employees are also keeping a closer eye on footage from surveillance cameras. Related content feature Top cybersecurity M&A deals for 2023 Fears of recession, rising interest rates, mass tech layoffs, and conservative spending trends are likely to make dealmakers cautious, but an ever-increasing need to defend against bigger and faster attacks will likely keep M&A activity steady in By CSO Staff Sep 22, 2023 24 mins Mergers and Acquisitions Mergers and Acquisitions Mergers and Acquisitions brandpost Unmasking ransomware threat clusters: Why it matters to defenders Similar patterns of behavior among ransomware treat groups can help security teams better understand and prepare for attacks By Joan Goodchild Sep 21, 2023 3 mins Cybercrime news analysis China’s offensive cyber operations support “soft power” agenda in Africa Researchers track Chinese cyber espionage intrusions targeting African industrial sectors. By Michael Hill Sep 21, 2023 5 mins Advanced Persistent Threats Cyberattacks Critical Infrastructure brandpost Proactive OT security requires visibility + prevention You cannot protect your operation by simply watching and waiting. It is essential to have a defense-in-depth approach. By Austen Byers Sep 21, 2023 4 mins Security Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe