$20M ATM cybercrime jackpot

6 days ago
2 min read

According to a new security alert from the FBI, criminals stole over $20M last year by infecting ATM's across the country with malware, allowing them to clean out those convenient cash machines without getting caught.

The FBI calls this criminal behavior "Jackpotting" and sent out a nation-wide alert asking for our help to spot and stop these thieves.

So how are these stealing money from ATMs?

The FBI report spells it out but in short:

Step 1 - Open the ATM face, most often with widely available generic keys

Step 2 - Remove the ATM's hard drive and connect it to a laptop

Step 3 - Copy the malware to the hard drive, put it back into the ATM and reboot the cash machine

The malware interacts directly with the ATM hardware allowing the criminal to withdraw cash from the machine without bank verification or even an ATM card. They're able to get in and out in minutes and the crime is often difficult to detect until long after the criminal has escaped.

The Takeaway

The FBI is asking us to keep watch and report any of the following suspicious, tell-tale signs that an ATM is being tampered with:

An ATM is unexpectedly out of service
Visible signs of unauthorized devices plugged in such as usb drives, keyboards or hubs
Finding an ATM door left open
On-screen indications of low or no cash

It takes a community to keep crime at bay. Thank you for helping to keep ours protected!

Stay safe out there.

-Attila