Windows xp on atms

Please feel free to share this article on Twitter, and click on the green heart if you think my piece is a worthwhile read. World-renowned IT security expert Bruce Schneier is a friend of mine. On January 27th, he posted something that intrigued me. The security or insecurity of Microsoft products is a hot-button issue in my field. Based on many years of direct experience, I hold Microsoft in very low esteem when it comes to vulnerabilities in code.

Banks and ATM manufacturers such as Diebold are usually secretive about the specifics of the hardware and software they use. Trillions may be at risk. If you really enjoy my writing and can spare a few bucks, please support my Patreon. Instagram Ads in Which Perform Better? If hackers discover new flaws in Windows XP, those bugs will go unaddressed, leaving attackers free to exploit them.

But the prospect of providing a potentially compromised machine with your account and PIN information is unsettling. Related story: Apple ends security updates for Snow Leopard. Major banks are now cutting special deals with Microsoft to extend life support for their Windows XP machines while they replace their fleet of ATMs. Bank of America BAC did not respond to requests for comment.

Replacing the operating systems on ATMs is a major undertaking. In most cases, banks must upgrade the software one ATM at a time, and some will need the entire computer inside replaced too. Several financial institutions have worked out, and at great cost, arrangements with Microsoft to keep Windows support available for a while longer, he said.

In many cases, upgrading an ATM's operating system involves physical access to the machine and about one hour's worth of labor. Not all ATMs will be ready to migrate to Windows 7 and may need hardware upgrades as well, Tente said. Microsoft has said that it will cease support for Windows XP after April 8. After that date, the company will stop providing security updates or technical support for Windows XP, an operating system that still has a huge installed base around the world.

Microsoft has pointedly stated that PCs running Windows XP after the end-of-support date should not be considered protected and has urged users of the operating system to move to a newer version as soon as possible. But just because a system remains on Windows XP after that date does not automatically make it more vulnerable. The paper is available only to registered members of the association. An executive summary provided to Computerworld highlighted several issues. Since Windows XP was launched, more than vulnerabilities have been found in the operating system.