Protecting ATMs, cash boxes through monitoring

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Security

How can monitoring and smart cash box tech prevent ATM theft?

Photo: Adobe Stock

August 1, 2025 by Bradley Cooper — Editor, ATM Marketplace & Food Truck Operator

ATM security is complicated and requires a multifaceted approach to be successful. After all, thieves utilize a variety of methods to steal from the ATMs, whether that’s a simple hook and chain attack to explosives to targeting the cash-in-transit employee.

Operators and financial institutions have used a variety of tools to prevent attacks from gates to AI powered security systems and more. It takes a combined approach to keep ATMs safe, and one tool that can play a particularly impactful role is monitoring solutions.

By monitoring the ATM and cash box, operators can detect issues before they occur and help prevent risk to transit workers. In addition, better security features within the cash box can help deter thieves.

As an example, in one particular case, two individuals were able to steal more than $600,000 from ATM technicians by stealing cash boxes from them while they were servicing the machines. With better security tools, the thieves may not have been able to break into the cash boxes in the first place or the boxes could have been tracked to their locations.

To learn more about ATM security as well as the role of monitoring technology, ATM Marketplace spoke with Tony Westington, CEO of Secure Innovation.

Q. What are the current top ATM security risks?

Westington: We supply customers in 50 countries around the world, and we are helping them overcome a multitude of risks which vary from to region to region. Currently, in a lot of countries, ATMs are being targeted by criminals using hook-and-chain to pull the machine out of the wall, but we are also seeing some hard explosive attacks, the emergence of gas attacks, as well as a lot of so called ‘jaws of life’ attacks, where the ATM safe door is forced open.

Q. What are the key vulnerabilities on the cash transit cycle that criminals exploit?

Westington:The cash-in-transit companies have a complex series of risks to balance on a daily basis, but always pay particular attention to the pavement movement, and the point of delivery. Globally, attacks on the cash-in-transit cycle are at an historic low, but these professionals know that they must be proactive with implementing defenses because counter measures (to attacks) cannot be put in overnight.

Q. Why do some areas see more dangerous(explosive attacks) than others?

Westington: The bottom line really is about what the criminals can source and feel comfortable working with. In some areas, criminals have got their hands on stolen hard explosives and blown the ATM to bits, often along with building housing the ATM. This type of attack is obviously very dangerous to the public and criminals alike, and we know several criminals have lost their lives attempting it. A more readily available explosive option for criminals, and one we will unfortunately continue to see in the future, is oxyacetylene gas attacks. Again, this is also extremely dangerous, and lives have also been lost through this method.

Q. What are some innovative tools to combat these issues?

Westington: Secure Innovation provides a full range of innovative security products to protect and cash in ATMs, cash vehicles, across the pavement and in bank branches and retailers. With the aid of the European Space Agency, we have also developed a sophisticated remote asset tracking and management tool called Remote Planet. With Remote Planet, customers can manage and track assets such as cash boxes, vehicles and ATMs all with one single portal/app.

The simple philosophy of our intelligent cash protection range is that the courier/messenger doesn’t have direct access to the cash, and that cash would be worthless (degraded indelibly with traceable security ink) if stolen. From the courier/messenger point of view, there’s an obvious change in role. With the intelligent cash protection system doing the guarding, the courier/messenger becomes the passive delivery agent and so should be at less risk or harm. Obviously, there is still a very serious and professional security role to be played by the messenger.

We have been developing innovative technical solutions like these for over 40 years at the behest of our customers, because they know that the alternative of heavier and heavier physical armoring on vehicles and ATMs, and de-cashing ATMs etc., simply aren’t workable in the long run.

More guards, more guns and heavier armor have an obvious limit, and are probably less practical or cost effective in the 21st century. As well as difficult to implement with the move towards sustainable electric vehicles, where weight to power have their limitations.

Q. What about cash box security? Can you talk a little bit about the digital key?

Westington: The philosophy of using innovative security ink technology and remote asset tracking applies really well to cash box security. Our ibox product range protects cash and valuables throughout the whole cash cycle, or at fixed points in that cycle (such as the security center, on the vehicle, across the pavement, and at the end customer).

By making the cash box intelligent, (and passing the primary job of guarding to technology) you have flexible and programmable security chain which can easily be adapted for customer needs, but cannot be broken by criminals. With Digital Key, the cash box can be remotely monitored and tracked and only opened when confirmed at a specific geofenced location (either via Digital Key on the Remote Planet app or remotely via security center command). Standard key control is a very vulnerable area which cause customers significant challenges, but Digital Key allows them to manage the whole process simply with a dual-authenticated app.

About Bradley Cooper

Bradley Cooper is the editor of ATM Marketplace and Food Truck Operator. He was previously the editor of Digital Signage Today. His background is in information technology, advertising, and writing.

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