[svlug] banking ATMs in the monoculture

[Rick Kwan]

I was shocked to read this story.
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=technologyNews&storyID=3958657    


I figured that a bank ATM would run an established embedded operating
system like VxWorks or QNX.  But Windows XP?? (Actually, 
securityfocus.com      
reports this is Windows XP Embedded).

Some other eye-openers:
  * Diebold switched from OS/2 because banks were requesting Windows.
  * Diebold election appliances run Windows CE.

Now to be fair (if you can call it that), Diebold has a joint press
release with Sygate (Fremont, CA) on November 19 stating that the
latter would work on improving endpoint security.

The Security Focus article, dated November 24, has more technical 
details.     
http://www.securityfocus.com/news/7517

--Rick Kwan