14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft no longer provides updates and security patches for Windows XP, even though 28 percent of the desktop machines worldwide are still running it, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that devices powered by this particular OS version are vulnerable to attacks.
The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) issued a statement this week to explain that local ATMs can’t actually be hacked because they’re running a different version of Windows XP that wasn’t yet discontinued by Microsoft.
Of course, the bank is referring to Windows XP Embedded which is still getting updates and security fixes until 2016, when all ATMs and other devices running it are expected to be upgraded to a more secure platform.
At the same time, the bank claims that all Internet connections on ATMs still running this OS version are carefully monitored, so all incoming attacks could be easily blocked.
“Besides, banks have also implemented other security solutions to prevent themselves from hacker and malware attacks,” the central bank said according to local media outlet tuoitrenews.vn.
As far as the desktop is concerned, support has already been retired on April 8, so in case cybercriminals worldwide find an unpatched vulnerability in the operating system, all computers worldwide still running this old OS version could be easily hijacked.