Microsoft has long announced that on April 8, it will stop technical support and periodic security updates for its older - but still very popular - operating system Windows XP .
Not only does this particular software «runs» today on almost one in three personal computers in homes and offices worldwide, but also on many bank automatic teller machines (ATMs). Some have already begun—somewhat excessively—to speculate about an imminent «Revelation XR», while the major cybersecurity company Symantec issued a statement recommending that Windows XP users upgrade their operating system as soon as possible. At the same time, it warns that after April 8 many ATM machines will be at greater risk of cyber attacks from viruses and other malicious software once Microsoft ends technical support for its operating system.
Microsoft released Windows XP in 2001 and many users «stuck» to this operating system, refusing to upgrade to later Windows versions (Vista, 7 and 8). The company believes that the product's natural life cycle has already been extended excessively, while noting that newer Windows versions are more secure and more feature‑rich. Nevertheless, worldwide, not a few individuals, companies and public services have so far found no significant reason to switch from Windows XP. According to research firm NetMarketShare, Windows XP is used on about 30% of PCs globally, while others estimate at least 200 million users worldwide.
Although many antivirus programs - such as Symantec's - will continue to "cover" Windows XP, the protection may no longer be fully effective, since Microsoft will stop its own security updates.
An antivirus program can probably detect and neutralize a virus, but it is not able to "patch" a security hole that hackers have discovered in the operating system itself. That is precisely why Symantec rushed to call on XP users to upgrade their operating system, given that Microsoft continues to regularly provide security updates for the most modern versions of Windows (Vista and later).
Some experts fear that computers (even ATMs) that «run» Windows XP will become the No 1 target of hackers. For some owners of old computers with XP, the machines which do not have enough memory and processing power to «boot» the new Windows 8, perhaps the only -forced- option will be to purchase a new computer. Those who do not want or cannot abandon their old computer with XP will have to rely on antivirus programs – and God help! Note that the browsing programs Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox will continue to work with Winndows XP, but not the two most recent versions of Microsoft’s Internet Explorer (also, on April 8 technical support for the Office 2003 suite will stop).
In any case, experts advise users not to use their computers with XR after April 8 for online transactions with banks, purchases from online stores, and generally the exchange of sensitive personal and professional data. Under ideal conditions, computers with XR should not be networked, but used only for text processing, games, etc.
The risks for ATMs
According to Symantec, ATMs are essentially computers that control access to cash, and most machines, especially older models, run on versions of Windows XP, leaving the banking industry at serious risk of cyberattacks. The US company notes that cybercriminals are already targeting ATMs with increasingly sophisticated mechanisms.
At the end of 2013, Symantec discovered a new malware in Mexico that gave attackers access to enter ATMs and withdraw cash using an external keyboard (this threat was named Backdoor.Ploutus). A few weeks later, this malware evolved into the English language and spread to other countries (the new strain was named Backdoor.Ploutus.B).
This malware now allows hackers to remotely send an SMS to a compromised ATM via mobile phone and then go to the machine and collect the cash. According to Symantec, this technique is already being used in several places around the world. Attackers simply need to “set up” their phone correctly, connect it to the ATM and “infect” the ATM with Ploutus.
Modern ATMs, according to Symantec, have upgraded security features that can prevent such attacks. However, older ATMs, still running Windows XP, especially those in remote locations, can be a target for hackers.
Source: kathimerini.gr
