FBI says ATM ‘jackpotting’ attacks are on the rise, and netting hackers millions in stolen cash

In 2010, the famed information researcher Barnaby Jack spectacularly hacked into an ATM currency instrumentality connected signifier astatine the Black Hat information conference, forcing it to spit retired reams of slope notes successful beforehand of an awestruck audience. 

More than a decennary later, ATM jackpotting — arsenic it’s called — has breached escaped from the realms of theoretical information probe into large concern successful the transgression world.

According to a caller information bulletin issued by the FBI, hackers person rapidly ramped up their attacks successful caller years, with much than 700 attacks connected currency dispensers during 2025 alone, netting hackers astatine slightest $20 cardinal successful stolen cash.

Per the bulletin, the FBI says hackers are utilizing a premix of carnal entree to ATM machines, specified arsenic generic keys for unlocking beforehand panels and accessing hard drives, and integer tools, similar planting malware that tin unit ATMs to rapidly dispense currency successful a flash.

The FBI warned that 1 peculiar malware, known arsenic Ploutus, affects a assortment of ATM manufacturers and currency dispensers by targeting the underlying Windows operating strategy that powers galore ATMs. Ploutus grants the hackers afloat power implicit a compromised ATM, allowing them to contented instructions susceptible of tricking the dispenser into disbursing notes without drafting funds from lawsuit accounts.

Ploutus takes vantage of extensions for fiscal services, oregon XFS software, which ATMs trust connected to pass with its assorted different hardware components, specified arsenic the PIN keypad, the paper reader, and the all-important currency dispensing unit.

“Ploutus attacks the ATM itself alternatively than lawsuit accounts, enabling accelerated cash-out operations that tin hap successful minutes and are often hard to observe until aft the wealth is withdrawn,” per the FBI bulletin.

Security researchers previously found issues with XFS bundle that tin let hackers to instrumentality ATMs into dispensing cash.

Barnaby Jack, the precocious information researcher credited with the archetypal ATM “jackpotting” attacks. Credit: YouTube

Updated the lede paragraph to amend date.