WARNING: 95% ATMs will be vulnerable in 3 weeks' time as they are still operating on Windows XP

is going to stop support for its Windows XP OS on the April 8 2014. After this date Microsoft will pull off its support for this version of OS. It will however, continue to provide updates on anti-malware signatures and engine for Windows XP users through July 14, 2015.

This has put in risk banks and ATMs that are still working on XP.

According to a news report in BusinessReport, Microsoft warned that only a third of the world’s 2.2 million ATMs that use the system will have been upgraded to a new platform, such as Windows 7, by the deadline next month, according to NCR, one of the biggest ATM makers. The figure comes to 95% of the ATMs worldwide.

This report mentions that many banks that are yet to finish upgrade to new OS, are buying custom support from Microsoft for their ATMs.

Microsoft to stop support for Windows XP on April 8, 2014

Microsoft extends support for Windows XP to 2015

In another study conducted by Ascentius Consulting, in India Windows XP still has a penetration of 40-70 percent (34115 Indian PSU bank branches) within the banking and psu sector. Another report in a leading Indian newspaper, said 52 per cent of computers in banks, 30 per cent in government offices, 26 per cent in manufacturing companies and 26 per cent in software firms run this operating system.

After the support is stopped the OS could become victim to hacks, as Microsoft also refuses to release new patches. This could adversely affect banks and consumers.

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