ATM Jackpotting Attack

The U.S. Secret Service quietly began warning financial institutions that jackpotting attacks targeting ATM cash machines here in the United States.

ATM “jackpotting” is a sophisticated crime in which thieves install malicious software and/or hardware at ATMs that forces the machines to spit out huge volumes of cash on demand.

The Secret Service alert explains that the attackers typically use an endoscope that physicians use to look inside the human body. To locate the internal portion of the cash machine where they can attach a cord that allows them to sync their laptop with the ATM’s computer.

The Secret Service alert says ATMs still running on Windows XP are particularly vulnerable, and it urged ATM operators to update to a version of Windows 7 to defeat this specific type of attack. page .