An ATM today is a networked computer with cash inside. That is exactly what makes it a target. The good news: get ATM security right and most attacks fail before they start. Europe proves the point. According to the European Association for Secure Transactions (EAST), confirmed ATM malware attacks across the region recently dropped to zero, largely thanks to the consistent rollout of hardening guidance. But there is no room for complacency. In the first half of 2025 alone, EAST recorded 613 physical attacks causing roughly 12.2 million US dollars in losses, plus 7,398 fraud attacks. Security remains an ongoing task, not a one-time fix.