Is Windows XP the right OS for an ATM?
Have you ever wondered what the ATM runs on? Most 0f the ATMs in India (and all around the world) run some flavor of Windows. Nowadays they use XP (some with SP2, if the technical team is good) but I remember seeing Windows 98 (saw BSOD once in one of the Chennai ATMs); Also read somewhere that they used to have embedded Windows NT, OS/2 and sometimes even Windows CE! I know what you must be thinking now - How safe is it, right? A good design should put the ATMs in their own private network, if so I only will be worrying “Who is going to reset the ATM when Windows crashes? 
 ”; now I realize why the security person in ATM seems to be knowledgeble on the machines…talk of all the ways one can gain some IT gnaan!
Above is an ATM of the famous VTB bank of Russia, powered by an unactivated copy of Windows XP. 
Look at a closeup of the activation dialog box below.
I wonder why ATMs don’t have their own OSs! When we talk so much about security / WORMS & malware stuff, does it make sense to use a general purpose OS for something so critical as an ATM? Even a cellphone costing a mere INR 4000 has so any OS flavors to choose from, why is the ATM you withdraw that INR 4000 from is stuck with a most-often-unpatched version of Windows? As Obelix would have said - “These ATM makers are crazy!!”
Check out these interesting links related to Windows Crashes:
- Windows crashes on Flight information screens and ATMs
- ATM crash here and here
- Slot machines too…
- Gallery full of Windows crashes on ATMs/slot machines
- Oh no! Even trains are not spared & other Public computer errors
I am extremely sorry … On 2nd view I see the Bishop on point at h8 … the exact position I had … my apologies … I shall be at your ‘Lessons for Beginner’ sometime soon.
thanks,
ben
Ben, thanks for the comments. BTW, the Chess puzzle 23 has the answer for Puzzle 22, I havent yet posted the answer for puzzle 23.
Thank you Mr Ramanathan, I haven’t worked it on a board, as yet.
I shall let you know what a mess I made of it soon.
I am using a laptop with xp tiny running it. Haven’t Tamil fonts to give you feedback in Tamil.
If my daughter is accomodative, sometimes the woman might refuse, God alone knows, I will get back to you.
Thank you,
ben
ELCOT of TN government is making a Linux driven ATM at 1/5th cost of market price. watch the video at
http://microblog.ravidreams.ne.....overnment/
Linux is better suited for experts on computer technology, I am told.
Hence, Linux for ATMs, instead of ‘common’ Windows, is the best choice, in my opinion.
Remember to have read this Russian thing earlier here.
We should communicate more often I believe.
Thanks.
Well… i wld be petrified if some (scaled UP/DOWN version) of the OS’s that are in mobile phones are used for ATMs. That wld really stop me from using one and go back to the nice way of “over the counter” banking :)…tho i really don’t know if I will survive the experience…but thats not the point I guess of the statement.. its about choice.
?) ? in that case maybe a host of platforms to enable a user to do a lot of different stuff??..
Looking at it from a diff perspective, do you really need that many choices for an ATM that has a pretty straight fwd use as compared to a mobile that is like an everything in one? Guess demand, requirement and scope generates the supply or where you would like to invest your money in for R and D. But then again, who says ATMs should be restricted to dispensing only cash (The name
Ok, im wandering….
nice blog btw…and nice getting in touch with you again after like maybe 7 years ??
Hey Srini, long time man..how are you? Sorry boss, just now looked in to the comments..the blog became virtually dead u know
well.. doin my bit to keep it alive…”virtually dead” thats a nice term :)…
lets meep up sometime you are free…i shld be popping in and out of Blore pretty regularly ..in Blore this week, tho i plan to leave before the weekend
sure boss..next time u r in blore gimme a call or better, directly come to my house for dinner. It is GM Palya..Rama told me u were staying in Koramangala, my place is near Indranagar, you shdnt have problem coming over. Do gimeme a call!