Experts Worried After Worm Hits Windows-Based ATMs
 

Windows based ATM's scare me...


http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp..._atms_virus_dc

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Automatic teller machines at two banks running Microsoft's popular Windows software were infected by a computer virus in August, the maker of the machines said on Monday.

The ATM infections, first reported by SecurityFocus.com, are believed to be the first of a computer virus wiggling directly onto cash machines.

Computer security experts predicted more problems to come as Windows migrates to critical systems consumers rely on.



"Specific purpose machines, like microwave ovens and until now ATM machines, never got viruses," said Schneier, author of "Beyond Fear." "Now that they are using a general purpose operating system, Diebold should expect a lot more of this in the future."

haha

a virus that would stop fridges from being cold, or that would start the oven during the night to boost electricity bills, or that would always make your toast burnt, or make your tv randomly show goatse and *******

That is disturbing news. Reminds me of that scene in Fight Club where to fuck up the powers that be Durden had computerized credit records destroyed. That situation, I don't mind. However, I do mind it when computer glitches screw up account balances at banks.

wow

ugh, why would they even dream of using something with such publicly known bugs and malfunctions to run critical items like that?

hasn't anyone in the business world at least heard of unix?

i think maybe .002% of cash machines are running windows. most use proprietary software and run on private ATM networks that are not outward facing towards any other networks. and from what im told the source code to them is pretty well guarded so to write a worm for them would be pretty near impossible.

Good thing most of these systems are legacy systems!!!

ATMs running windows? That's a crime

With " pretty near " being the keywords :)

unless they are in my favor and noone notices

:winkwink: