A method of stealing from cash dispensing machines that has been more popular internationally has made its way to the United States.
ATM manufacturers are warning about "jackpotting," in which hackers are breaking into machines and installing malicious software and hardware to make them spit out cash. It is not clear how much money has been lost from jackpotting.
Diebold Nixdorf Inc and NCR Corp have both issued alerts about the scheme, Reuters reports. Jackpotting attacks were first noted by Krebs on Security, an investigative news blog about security issues.
Krebs said jackpotting thieves install malicious software and/or hardware at ATMs, and "that forces the machines to spit out huge volumes of cash on demand ... ."
"It has long been a threat for banks in Europe and Asia, yet these attacks somehow have eluded U.S. ATM operators," the blog says.
Thieves must gain physical access to a machine to commit the crime. According to an anonymous source quoted by Krebs, the Secret Service has been given credible information about "cash-out crews" in the U.S. activated to attack front-loading ATM machines.