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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →ATM jackpotting turns technical access into cash by making a machine dispense money without an ordinary card withdrawal. In U.S. cases described by prosecutors, the alleged operation has involved recruiting people with access, scouting machines, installing malware or an external device, triggering unauthorized dispensing, and dividing and moving the proceeds. That is a case-based model, not a universal blueprint: ATM malware also includes attacks aimed at stealing card data or manipulating communications rather than dispensing cash directly.
What is ATM jackpotting?
Jackpotting is an attack that causes an ATM to dispense cash without a customer making a normal bank-card withdrawal. Europol describes it as taking control of an ATM computer with malware so it directs the cash dispenser to release money. More recent Europol guidance groups jackpotting and black-box attacks as ATM “logical attacks”: electronic compromise intended to withdraw cash without a bank card. An attacker may use injected malware or an unauthorized external device to send commands to the dispenser. Europol, Internet Organised Crime Threat Assessment (2015); Europol, ATM logical attacks (2025).
How do ATM malware attacks work?
“ATM malware” covers different criminal objectives. Some attacks target the dispenser for immediate cash; others target payment credentials or the connection between the ATM and its acquiring bank. Those methods should not be treated as interchangeable: they have different targets and produce different kinds of proceeds.
| Attack type | What it targets | Typical mechanism described by Europol | How proceeds arise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software skimming | Card and PIN data processed by the ATM computer | Malware captures payment credentials | Stolen credentials may later be misused or sold; this is not direct cash dispensing by jackpotting. |
| Jackpotting | The ATM computer and cash dispenser | Malware takes control of the ATM computer and directs cash dispensing | Cash is dispensed directly without an ordinary card withdrawal. |
| Black-box attack | The cash dispenser | An attacker-controlled external device communicates with the dispenser | Cash is dispensed directly without an ordinary card withdrawal. |
| Man-in-the-middle attack | Communications between the ATM computer and the acquiring host | Communication is manipulated; Europol says this can produce withdrawals without a debit to the card account | The attack exploits transaction communication, rather than simply directing the dispenser through jackpotting malware. |
These descriptions come from Europol’s 2015 overview; its 2025 spotlight also describes black-box or jackpotting attacks using an external device or injected malware to command a dispenser. Europol IOCTA 2015; Europol ATM logical attacks (2025).
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How do ATM hackers make money?
In jackpotting, the immediate source of value is the cash the ATM releases. The larger “business model” is the alleged coordination that turns access to a machine into cash available to a group: people are recruited or coordinated, targets are selected, a machine is compromised, and cash is collected and divided. U.S. Department of Justice releases describe these steps as allegations in specific prosecutions, not as a finding about every group or every ATM attack.
Recruitment, reconnaissance and access
A January 2026 DOJ release said an indictment alleged that a conspiracy recruited people to deploy Ploutus malware at ATMs across the United States. According to the indictment as summarized by DOJ, participants conducted reconnaissance, noted external security features, and accessed targeted machines. The account says the group allegedly changed or modified drives or used an external device to install the malware. U.S. Department of Justice, January 2026.
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Unauthorized dispensing and division of cash
The same indictment alleged that the malware caused the cash-dispensing module to issue unauthorized commands, after which members split the proceeds in predetermined portions. DOJ also said participants attempted to delete evidence. These details describe the government’s allegations in that case; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Moving proceeds and keeping criminal methods distinct
A February 2026 DOJ release said an earlier indictment alleged that cash was transferred among members and associates to conceal it, and described jackpotting as an additional revenue stream for the combined defendants and organization. That supports a distribution and concealment layer in the operation alleged there; it does not establish that all ATM malware groups handle proceeds in the same way. U.S. Department of Justice, February 2026.
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Credential theft represents an adjacent path to monetization, not proof of how the Ploutus case worked. Europol’s 2015 report says software-skimming malware can intercept card and PIN data, and describes compromised payment-card data being sold in bulk and then resold in smaller batches. That historical account concerns the wider payment-fraud economy; it does not establish that the defendants in the DOJ jackpotting case sold card data. Europol IOCTA 2015.
Why can ATM malware crime cross borders?
The roles in an alleged operation need not all happen in one place. FDIC OIG describes cases involving local physical access while actors in foreign jurisdictions transmit malware codes. It also notes agency-reported patterns in which perpetrators surveil locations and routines, with standalone ATMs in rural areas among common targets. These are patterns reported by the agency, not rules that identify every target or explain every attack. FDIC Office of Inspector General, ATM jackpotting alert.
A 2021 Europol account offers a cross-border example: Polish authorities arrested two suspects over alleged black-box attacks in at least seven European countries and estimated theft of €230,000. The investigation said the same ATM brand and model was repeatedly targeted. This is a case estimate and an example of model-specific targeting, not a measure of current prevalence. Europol, July 2021.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How large is the jackpotting problem?
The strongest current figure in the cited material is an FBI estimate reported by FDIC OIG: 700 ATM jackpotting incidents and losses totaling more than $20 million in 2025. The number is an agency-attributed estimate for that year, not a count of all ATM malware methods or a prediction of future losses. FDIC OIG alert.
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Older fraud figures measure different things and should not be compared as if they were jackpotting totals. Europol’s 2015 IOCTA, citing ECB payment statistics, reported €1.44 billion in fraudulent card transactions on cards issued within SEPA in 2013; this was overall card fraud. The same report, citing the European ATM Security Team’s 2015 European ATM Crime Report, said that in 2014 ATM-related fraud incidents in the EU fell 26% while overall losses rose 13%. That historical statistic covers ATM-related fraud, not a current estimate of jackpotting. Europol IOCTA 2015.
How can banks prevent ATM jackpotting?
Prevention is primarily an ATM operator and financial-institution responsibility. Effective controls combine software hardening, restricted physical access, monitoring, and a response plan; no single measure should be treated as a guarantee.
Harden the machine’s software and boot settings
- Secure BIOS settings and disable booting from external media, as recommended in Europol’s 2015 overview.
- Harden the operating system and use software encryption, measures identified by Europol and FDIC OIG.
Make physical access and tampering harder to conceal
- Limit access to ATM internals, change standard locks, and consider unique access keys, security gates, and tamper-resistant screws.
- Use hood alarms, CCTV, and license-plate readers where appropriate; these controls are listed by FDIC OIG.
- Europol also identifies alarms, surveillance, and more frequent cash refilling as operator-side measures.
Preserve evidence and report suspected fraud
FDIC OIG advises operators who suspect jackpotting to contact law enforcement, the FBI or IC3, and FDIC OIG; preserve surveillance footage; and treat the location as a crime scene. That response can help investigators establish how the machine was accessed and what happened to the cash. FDIC OIG ATM jackpotting alert.
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