The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has released an emergency FLASH alert warning U.S. financial institutions about a surge in ATM “jackpotting” attacks powered by Ploutus malware. The threat enables criminals to force ATMs to dispense cash without using a bank card, customer account, or backend authorization. By targeting the machine rather than customer credentials, attackers can rapidly drain large sums before the fraud is detected. Ploutus operates by abusing the eXtensions for Financial Services (XFS) software layer, which manages ATM hardware functions such as the cash dispenser, card reader, and receipt printer. Instead of relying on legitimate banking applications to send commands through XFS, the malware injects its own instructions, compelling the dispenser to release money on demand. Once installed, the ATM effectively becomes a cash machine fully controlled by threat actors. To deploy the malware, attackers typically gain physical access to the ATM. Methods include opening machines with generic manufacturer keys, connecting unauthorized USB devices, or removing and reimaging the hard drive with malicious files. In some cases, remote-access tools are also used to stage or interact with the infection. Because many ATMs run Windows-based systems, Ploutus variants can be adapted across multiple vendors with minimal modification. The FBI reports nearly 1,900 jackpotting incidents since 2020, with a significant spike in 2025 alone. Institutions are urged to strengthen physical locks, implement device and application whitelisting, enable robust logging, encrypt hard drives, verify firmware integrity, and promptly report suspicious activity to support ongoing investigations.
A recent cyber campaign has been observed delivering a fileless variant of the Remcos Remote Access Trojan (RAT) through phishing emails. The attack primarily targets organizations...
As a result of an international law enforcement action orchestrated by the U.S. Justice Department, a large residential proxy service known as SocksEscort has been taken down. This...
Poland’s National Centre for Nuclear Research (NCBJ) was recently targeted by a cyberattack that disrupted parts of its IT infrastructure. The attack prompted the organization to...