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Researchers detailed WinPot (also called ATMPot), an ATM jackpotting malware family built to make ATMs from a major vendor automatically dispense cash from their cassettes. First seen in March 2018, the malware was later observed in multiple closely related samples with small updates, including different packers, revised operating time windows, and interface changes. The tool presents operators with a slot-machine-style control panel that can scan cassettes, start cash dispensing, and stop the process, while also refusing to run outside a preset time period.
The report said WinPot had already been noted in the 2018 European Fraud Update and was being sold on darknet markets for roughly $500 to $1,000. Researchers also linked the malware to tactics and tooling similar to Cutlet Maker-related activity, underscoring the continued commoditization of ATM cash-out attacks. Recommended mitigations included device control to block USB-based installation and process allowlisting on ATMs to prevent unauthorized code execution.
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2 events from the most recent confirmed update back to the earliest known activity.
Researchers first encountered the WinPot ATM jackpotting malware family, also referred to as ATMPot, targeting ATMs from a popular vendor. The malware was designed to make ATMs automatically dispense cash from their cassettes.
The 2018 European Fraud Update identified WinPot as a new ATM cash-out malware variant alongside Cutlet Maker. The report also said ATM malware and logical security attacks were reported by nine countries, with five countries reporting ATM-related malware.
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Researchers detailed **ATMii** (`Backdoor.Win32.ATMii`), an ATM malware family designed to make infected machines dispense cash on command. The malware was shared by a financial-sector partner and consists of two components: an injector executable and an injected DLL that targets the proprietary `atmapp.exe` process and hooks XFS functionality through `msxfs.dll`. Once running, ATMii can scan for the cash dispenser service, collect cassette information, dispense a specified amount in a chosen currency, and delete its command file after execution. The malware requires direct access to the target ATM, either over the network or through physical access such as a USB device, underscoring the continued risk of local and internal compromise in ATM environments. Researchers described the code as relatively unsophisticated and noted signs such as a likely fake 2013 compilation timestamp and lack of support for **Windows XP**, despite that operating system remaining common in ATMs at the time. Recommended defenses included **application whitelisting** and **device control** to block unauthorized binaries and removable media used in cash-out attacks.
Aug 14, 2026
The FBI reported a sharp increase in **ATM jackpotting** in the US, a cyber-physical attack in which criminals compromise ATMs and use malware to force cash dispensing without bank authorization. Since 2020, the FBI has tracked more than **1,900** incidents, including **700+ in 2025**, with losses exceeding **$20 million**; the activity is described as increasing and often difficult to detect until after cash is removed. The FBI said attackers commonly gain access by opening the ATM cabinet with **widely available generic keys**, then installing malware by removing the hard drive to copy the payload or swapping in a preloaded drive/device. Reported malware includes **Ploutus**, which abuses the *eXtensions for Financial Services* (**XFS**) API layer used by ATM applications to interface with hardware; by issuing their own XFS commands, attackers can **bypass bank authorization** and directly control cash-out functions. The FBI noted the technique can work across different ATM manufacturers with minimal code changes, leveraging the underlying **Windows** environment during compromise.
Jun 29, 2026
Kaspersky reported that ATM and point-of-sale malware activity rose sharply in 2018 and remained high in 2019, with detections concentrated in Russia, Brazil, Iran, Vietnam, India, the United States, and several European countries. Russia consistently recorded the highest number of affected devices, underscoring the global scale of attacks targeting payment infrastructure. The report linked the sustained threat to outdated software, unpatched vulnerabilities, weak physical security, and the operational limits of vendor-managed ATM environments. It identified active malware families including **ATMJackpot**, **WinPot**, **Ice5**, **ATMTest**, **Peralta**, **ATMWizX**, **ATMDtrack**, **ATMgot**, **ATMqotX**, and **ATMJaDi**, which support cash-out schemes, card-data theft, and anti-forensic functions, while noting that older malware continues to be reused and that a malware-as-a-service trend is emerging from Latin America.
Aug 14, 2026