Ploutus is an ATM malware family associated with jackpotting, a type of attack that forces a cash machine to dispense money without authorisation. Rather than stealing card data or account credentials, Ploutus targets the ATM’s local control path and the software layer that drives the cash dispenser. That makes it a cyber-physical threat: the attacker needs access to the machine, then uses malware to issue payout commands.
This matters because ATM security is not just about network monitoring. If an attacker can reach the cabinet, load malicious code, or abuse local management interfaces such as ATM middleware, traditional banking controls may not stop the cash loss in time. Defenders focus on layered protections: strong physical locks, tamper detection, firmware and software integrity checks, device whitelisting, restricted USB access, and alerts for unexpected local processes or service changes. Ploutus is a reminder that controlling the endpoint can be as dangerous as compromising an account.