You swipe your card and enter your PIN. You grab your cash and head out the door. It feels routine and secure. Most of us never give it a second thought. However, some ATMs are quietly being turned into cash machines for criminals.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation recently issued a cybersecurity alert about a rise in malware attacks targeting ATMs. These incidents are known as jackpotting attacks. In simple terms, hackers force machines to spit out money on command.

The numbers are growing. Since 2020, nearly 1,900 attacks have been reported. More than a third occurred just last year. In 2025 alone, losses have already exceeded $20 million. So what is really happening inside these machines, and why is the threat accelerating now?

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How ATM jackpotting attacks work

This is not a Hollywood hacking scene. In many cases, attackers use generic keys to open the ATM’s maintenance cabinet. Once inside, they remove the storage drive. Then they load malware onto it or swap it with a compromised one.

After rebooting the machine, the malicious software takes control. One of the most widely used tools is a malware strain called Ploutus. It targets software known as XFS, which ATMs use to communicate with bank networks and authorize transactions.

Instead of asking the bank for permission, the malware overrides that process. It sends its own commands to the machine. The result? The ATM dispenses cash without a card, without an account and without a legitimate transaction. That is jackpotting.

Here is the uncomfortable truth. Many ATMs run on aging versions of Windows. Some machines have even displayed Windows 7 login screens. That operating system was released in 2009 and officially discontinued years ago.

Outdated software creates opportunity. If attackers find a vulnerability in the Windows operating system, they can exploit it across different ATM brands and financial networks. The FBI says these attacks are not tied to one specific bank or ATM manufacturer. Instead, they target common weaknesses shared across systems.

That makes the problem much bigger. And with hundreds of thousands of ATMs deployed across the U.S., upgrading and securing every machine will take time.

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The FBI has outlined several defensive steps for financial institutions:

These are practical fixes. But rolling them out nationwide is a slow process. Meanwhile, attackers continue to look for weak targets.

You might be thinking this sounds like a bank problem, not a personal one. Technically, consumers are not the direct victims in these cases. Unlike Bitcoin ATM scams that have cost individuals hundreds of millions, jackpotting attacks hit financial institutions. However, there is a ripple effect.

When banks lose money, insurance companies pay claims. Eventually, those costs show up somewhere. Higher fees. Increased service charges. Stricter policies. In the end, everyday customers absorb the impact. Cybercrime rarely stays contained.

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How to protect yourself when using ATMs

While ATM jackpotting attacks primarily target banks, you can still take smart steps to protect yourself when using cash machines.

Choose machines inside bank branches or in busy areas with foot traffic. These locations are more likely to be monitored and maintained.

Criminals need physical access to tamper with machines. High traffic areas during regular business hours reduce that risk.

If a machine suddenly reboots, freezes or behaves strangely, stop immediately. Do not insert your card. Report the issue to the bank right away.

Check for loose panels, exposed wiring or unusual attachments near the card slot or keypad. If something looks off, use a different machine.

Shield your PIN with your hand as you type. This protects you from hidden cameras and shoulder surfers who may try to capture your code.

Enable text or app notifications for withdrawals and account activity. Instant alerts help you act quickly if anything unexpected appears.

Even though jackpotting bypasses customer accounts, fraud tactics evolve. Review your transactions often so you can catch unauthorized charges early.

Identity theft protection services can provide alerts about unusual financial activity across your accounts. Think of it as an added layer of awareness rather than a fix for ATM malware. See my tips and best picks on Best Identity Theft Protection at Cyberguy.com.

Many banks offer cardless access through secure mobile apps. This reduces exposure to skimming devices and physical tampering.

Install updates promptly to ensure you have the latest security patches and protections.

Staying alert lowers your risk and reinforces good habits, even when attackers are targeting financial institutions rather than individual customers.

ATM jackpotting attacks reveal something important. Even familiar machines can hide modern vulnerabilities. Most of us rarely think about the software running inside a cash dispenser. Yet those systems rely on the same operating foundations as home and office computers. When they fall behind on updates, criminals notice. The FBI alert is not a reason to panic. It is a reminder that digital security touches nearly every part of daily life, even the simple act of withdrawing cash.

How much trust do you place in the technology you use every day without ever seeing how it works? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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Katie Ledecky has proven to be an American powerhouse in the pool all by herself.

She’s the most decorated female Olympian in history with 14 total medals, including nine gold. She also has a record 18 individual gold medals at the World Aquatics Championships. It’s safe to say that she knows a thing or two about representing Team USA on the world stage.

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The 29-year-old Stanford grad was asked in an interview with “60 Minutes” what she learned about the U.S. while representing her country.

“What I’ve learned over time as a member of Team USA is that we are a nation of strivers that embraces competition of all sorts,” Ledecky said. “We are a very prideful nation in how we compete. Where that striving and competitive spirit, when harnessed correctly, brings out the best in us and shows us the best of the human spirit.

“I’ve learned that sports tests our determination, our resilience and our discipline. Sports teach us every day that anything is possible. That when we try and give our best effort, that we can overcome obstacles.”

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Ledecky recalled going from town to town for swim meets in different local communities when she was growing up.

“And what I’ve seen in so many different communities is that sport in America is at its best when its joy and fun, and yes, its challenges, bring us together,” she added.

She will be pushing to solidify herself as a member of Team USA once again for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Ledecky won gold medals in the 800-meter free and 1,500-meter free at the Paris Games in 2024. She also won a silver in the 4×200-meter free and a bronze in the 400-meter free.

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The Commonwealth of Virginia, once the cradle of American liberty and the home of the Bill of Rights, is witnessing a historic betrayal in real time.

On March 14, the Virginia General Assembly wrapped up their 2026 legislative session and rammed through over 15 pieces of anti-gun legislation.  In just 60 days, the anti-gun left has nearly undone gun rights for millions of law-abiding Virginia residents.

Their crown jewel of tyranny? SB 749 and HB 217, two so-called “assault weapons” ban bills.

These identical bills landed at the desk of newly elected Democrat Gov. Abigail Spanberger during the final days of the legislative session and are currently awaiting her signature.

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She has promised to sign them into law.  

For years, Gun Owners of America (GOA) and our dedicated members have stood against these unconstitutional infringements as they’ve popped up in state legislatures all around the country.

Just a few weeks ago, through overwhelming grassroots activism and pressure from gun rights organizations like GOA, a similar “assault weapons” ban was defeated in New Mexico. And last year in Virginia, former Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed over 27 anti-gun bills – including an “assault weapons” ban.

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But with the election of billionaire Michael Bloomberg-backed Spanberger in November 2025, the governor’s seat is now occupied by a rubber stamp for the radical gun control lobby. Anti-gun Democrats also flipped over a dozen pro-gun seats in the Virginia House of Delegates while also maintaining a slim majority in the Virginia Senate.

And within hours of gaining control of the governor’s mansion and legislature, anti-gun lawmakers began drafting numerous gun control measures, promising to ram them through the General Assembly at warp speed.

Make no mistake: SB 749/HB 217 have nothing to do with “safety” and everything to do with removing your Second Amendment rights. This legislation targets the most popular firearms in America — tools used by millions of law-abiding citizens for self-defense, competition and sport. According to the FBI, nearly twice as many people are murdered with hands/fists than rifles of any kind. And over three times as many with knives. Yet anti-gun radicals want us to believe semi-automatic firearms must be banned.

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But by arbitrarily labeling semi-automatic rifles, pistols and shotguns as “assault firearms” based on common features like folding stocks or threaded barrels, the anti-gunners are actively removing your ability to defend yourself and your family with the tool of your choice.

Furthermore, the legislation takes aim at standard-capacity magazines, labeling anything over 15 rounds as a “large capacity ammunition feeding device.”

The proponents of SB 749 point to similar laws that exist in other states, yet the Supreme Court’s Bruen decision made it clear: the government must prove that a firearm regulation is consistent with this nation’s historical tradition.

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There is zero historical tradition of banning the most commonly owned firearms in the country. There is zero constitutional basis for targeting certain semi-automatic firearms and using the power of the state to punish anyone who buys, sells or transfers one after July 1, 2026.

The anti-gun Democrats’ argument that these are “weapons of war” is a lazy buzzword term. These weapons are the modern-day equivalent of the musket — the standard arm of the citizen-soldier.

And let’s be clear — the Second Amendment was not written for deer hunting; it was written to ensure that the “body of the people” would always have the means to resist a tyrannical government.

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When George Mason wrote the Virginia Declaration of Rights, he did not mince words when it came to our right to own firearms. “That a well regulated militia, composed of the body of the people, trained to arms, is the proper, natural, and safe defense of a free state, therefore, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed…”

It’s easy to see where the inspiration for the Second Amendment to the U.S. Bill of Rights originated from.

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By stripping Virginians of these tools, Spanberger and her allies are intentionally shifting the balance of power from the people to the state and jeopardizing liberty and freedom in the process. It’s clear they have forgotten, or worse yet, are purposefully ignoring the motto of this great commonwealth: “Sic semper tyrannis” which translates to, “thus always to tyrants.”

Make no mistake — Gun Owners of America will not idly stand by while the Spanberger-led government of Virginia tosses our gun rights into the trash.

Gun Owners Foundation — the legal wing of GOA — is already working with our friends at Virginia Citizens Defense League to challenge these infringements in court. No law-abiding Virginian should be subject to such heinous and un-American laws.

The political and legal fights to restore gun rights in Virginia which lay ahead will be long and difficult, but GOA will continue on until every single word of gun control is repealed. And as we fight, we carry the words of the great Founding Father and lifelong Virginian Patrick Henry with absolute resolve, “The great object is that every man be armed. Everyone who is able may have a gun.”