Microsoft Windows XP Support Ends On April 8, But Atms Yet To Upgrade


NEW DELHI: As Microsoft Corp ends support for its Windows XP next month, the software firm said a number of ATMs are yet to be upgraded and such cash vending machine may face security risk.

The number of ATMs using Windows XP is higher compared to 16 percent of PCs which need upgradation. Last month, the U.S.-based firm had said its PC install base for large enterprises in India is about 4 million units, of which around 84 percent have migrated from Windows XP.

 Windows XP, which was launched in October 2001, is three generations behind the latest operating system Windows 8 that was launched in October 2012. The current XP version is called Windows XP Service Pack 3 and Microsoft will stop support service to Windows XP from 8 April.

 “The number of ATMs left on Windows XP is higher than PCs as a percentage. Many more ATMs, probably higher than the 35 percent computers in banks and financial institutions that are still to be upgraded and these (ATMs) are not included in those 4 million computers,” Microsoft India general manager (Windows business) Amrish Goyal said.

 There are roughly about 100,000 ATMs in India and many of them are running on Windows XP. They have the same support policy and will be out of support, something which Reserve Bank of India (RBI) guidelines has also called out, he added.

 Indian Banks Association (IBA) chief executive MV Tanksale, however, said only old ATMs may face some problem as all the newer machines run on newer platforms. Tanksale said he does not have the data of such machines which are still running on Windows XP.

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Source: PTI