“Cash machine networks could soon be more susceptible to computer viruses, a security firm has warned. The warning is being issued because many banks are starting to use the Windows operating system in machines. Already there have been four incidents in which Windows viruses have disrupted networks of cash machines running the Microsoft operating system,” Mark Ward reports for BBC News.
“For many years the venerable IBM operating system, known as OS/2, has been the staple software used to power many of the 1.4m cash machines in operation around the world. But IBM will end support for OS/2 in 2006 which is forcing banks to look for alternatives,” Ward reports.
“Todd Thiemann, spokesman for anti-virus firm Trend Micro, said the move to Windows in cash machines was not without risks. Mr Thiemann said research by the TowerGroup showed that 70% of new cash machines being installed were Windows based,” Ward reports.
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Great idea! Let’s use Windows, the most insecure and most heavily attacked operating system, for banks and U.S. Homeland Security! Hey, let’s use Windows to control nuclear missile silos next! And in two ton vehicles that can drive at high speeds. And on planes, yeah, jets – that would be great! Or to run nuclear subs, right after we install the screen doors! Typical institutional stupidity. It’s too bad that the average human IQ isn’t just a few points higher; everything would be so much easier without so many morons mucking everything up all the time.
Related MacDailyNews articles:
U.S. Department of Homeland Security awards enterprise agreement to Microsoft – July 15, 2003
Department of Homeland Security chose Microsoft due to time and money limitations – July 21, 2003
U.S. Department of Homeland Security says Windows vulnerable to attack – August 01, 2003
CCIA wants U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security to reconsider buying ‘insecure Microsoft software’ – August 29, 2003
Congress members frustrated with computer viruses wonder how to protect public – September 11, 2003
US Gov’t warns of Internet attacks after new Windows flaw revealed – September 11, 2003
UK Royal Navy will run nuclear bomb-carrying warships on Windows 2000 – September 07, 2004
“I think you would be suprised [sic] of what exactly Windows does power.”
Surprised? I’d be terrified.
Interesting comments posted by NoMacForYou, unfortunately they offer no comfort whatsoever. If they haven’t been compromised yet, they certainly will. The people at Ohio’s Davis-Besse nuclear facility have their computers behind a firewall, but the computers inside were hit by the Slammer virus early in 2003.
http://www.internet-security.ca/internet-security-news-003/nuclear-plants-warned-of-internet-virus-attacks.html
(Sorry about the long html, but I don’t know how to link it to a simple word like “this”. Suggestions on how to link a long html to a single word would be appreciated).
Back on topic…It is fortunate that in this case the nuclear facility was already offline due to an unrelated problem. The virus, however, took out the primary digital-based safety system and process control system. The analog safety had to kick in. One can only guess what would have happened if the facility was in full operation at that time.
didn’t know IBM was supporting OS/2 yet. Thought they had stopped development years ago already. Haven’t seen a computer running it (outside of a atm) in years. Probally since college 1992-97, they had lots of them back then. Not any more though, all they got are windows not even one mac on that campus anymore.
MacDaddy,
If you go to my my .Mac homepage and send me a message, I’ll get back to you by Monday with the HTML for hyperlinks.
Windows driven ATMs have been victim of virus
http://www.windowsfordevices.com/news/NS6438545389.html
Is this right?
Use the HTML tag wherever you want to insert clickable text. Replace url with your URL, and text with your description of the link. For example:
Click MacDailyNews
will be rendered as
Click MacDailyNews
oops!
Click “MacDailyNews“
Rats!
Well, I’ve proven that I know how to cut&paste;!
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”wink” style=”border:0;” />
Weren’t OS/2 and and Windows NT basically the same thing until IBM and Microsoft cut their deal to co-develop it. The word venerable implies it is some form of UNIX. At least use Solaris if not QNX or something even better.