NEW YORK– Because the sums were large and such attacks are relatively new, the two Middle East banks hit in a $45 million ATM heist face an uncertain path in trying to recover their losses, financial, insurance and legal experts say.

Oman-based Bank of Muscat lost $40 million and United Arab Emirates-based National Bank of Ras Al Khaimah PSC  (RAKBANK) lost $5 million in the global heist, U.S. prosecutors said on Thursday. Hackers gained access through third-party companies that processed transactions for prepaid debit cards issued by the banks, the prosecutors said.

While details of what happened are still sketchy, experts said the banks could bring claims against the processing companies in court, or they could file claims with their own and the processing companies' insurers.

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