ATM Security Tips: What is Ploutus malware? Why did the FBI give a $20 million ATM jackpot warning?

News India Live, Digital Desk: In the digital world, the word ‘Jackpot’ has now become a symbol not of happiness but of fear for banks. According to the FBI, by using Ploutus malware, criminals ‘hack’ the ATM machine in such a way that it starts spitting out notes like a deck of cards, without any card or bank account. This process is called ‘jackpotting’.1. What is ATM Jackpotting? (What is Jackpotting?) Just as all the coins fall out when a jackpot is hit in a slot machine, similarly in this attack the criminals take control of the ATM software. They order the machine to take out all the cash inside it. In this attack, money is not deducted from a customer’s bank account, but the bank’s money is directly stolen.2. How does Ploutus malware work? (How it works)According to the FBI report, the criminals’ methods are quite clever: Physical Access: Criminals often open the top or face of the ATM using a fake master key. Hard Drive Tampering: They remove the ATM’s hard drive and load the Ploutus malware on it or replace the old drive with their own ‘infected’ drive. Software Control: This malware takes advantage of the flaws in the Windows OS and takes over the ATM. The ‘cash dispenser’ starts giving instructions directly to the unit, thereby bypassing the bank’s security system.[Image showing a hacked ATM dispensing cash rapidly with ‘Ploutus Malware Detected’ alert on screen]3. Year 2025: ‘Jackpot’ year of theftThe figures released by FBI are scary: More than 700 attacks: More than 700 jackpotting incidents took place in America in 2025 alone. Loss of $20 million: Banks suffered a loss of more than ₹ 166 crore in these attacks. 1900 cases: A total of 1,900 such cases have been registered since the year 2020. 4. Precautions suggested by the FBI (Security Tips) Although this attack does not directly affect the customers’ cards, banks and ATM operators have been asked to keep these things in mind: Change the master lock: Replace the old and generic locks of the ATM with a modern ‘high-security lock’. IP Whitelisting: Allow only trusted networks to connect to the ATM. Hardware Protection: Alarms and additional security shields on the top body of the ATM Install Software Update: Stop using older versions of Windows and install the latest security patches.