14 DAY TRIAL // Nearly 95 percent of the world’s ATMs are still running Windows XP right now, according to a research we’ve told you about recently, which makes it pretty dangerous given the fact that Microsoft will discontinue the operating system in just two months.
Even though the majority of banks are yet to begin the transition to a newer operating system for their cash machines, a new report claims that a massive upgrade is prepared in the last couple of months before the operating system is discontinued.
Htxt.co.za is reporting that several South African banks have prepared transition plans to either start or complete the switch to a newer platform before April.
Nedbank, for example, has promised to complete the transition from Windows XP by the end of March, which means the update should be ready by the time Windows XP is retired.
“The rollout [of upgraded machines] will be phased and it is earmarked for completion by 31 March 2014,” says Preni Naidoo, executive for self-service banking at Nedbank.
Others, on the other hand, are yet to decide on the next destination. FNB, one of the local banks whose ATMs are still running Windows XP, said that a decision is yet to be made, but several plans are under consideration right now.
“We are aware that Microsoft Windows XP support ends in April 2014 and we are currently implementing a solution,” a company representative told the source.
Windows XP will be officially retired on April 8, with Microsoft announcing that no security patches and vulnerability fixes would be released beyond this date. Of course, the company hopes to see the majority of users migrating to Windows 8.1, but 28 percent of the desktop computers worldwide are still powered by Windows XP right now, according to third-party statistics.