Windows-run ATM hit by virus
Automatic teller machines at two banks running Microsoft Windows software were infected by a computer virus in August, reports MSNBC news here.
That’s alarming, but not so much because the ATMs were infected. Rather, it’s frightening because banks are apparently using an ordinary, commercial Microsoft O/S which is itself plagued by virus-slash-security problems and needs constant fixes and patches.
Moreover, Diebold Inc – under scrutiny because of alleged security flaws in its electronic voting machines running Windows CE – made the ATMs.
"Computer security experts predicted more problems to come as Windows migrates to critical systems consumers rely on," says Wired here. "An unknown number of ATMs running Windows XP Embedded were shut down during the spread of the so-called "Nachi" worm, said officials at Diebold, which made the ATMs and refused to name the customers affected.
"The Nachi worm, also called ‘Welchia,’ was written to clean up after the MSBlast, or Blaster, worm. Instead it crippled or congested networks around the world, including the check-in system at Air Canada.
"Both worms spread through a hole in Windows XP, 2000, NT and Server 2003."
In the MSNBC story, "of specific-purpose machines like ATMs running Windows, written for general purpose computers and for which Microsoft Corp. releases security fixes on a regular basis," Gartner analyst John Pescatore is quoted as saying, "It’s a horrendous security mistake. I’m a lot more worried about my money than I was before this."
