Re: OpenBSD for ATMs

[Nick Holland <nick_(_at_)_holland-consulting_(_dot_)_net>]

Siju George wrote:
> Hi all,
> 
> In regard to the article below
> 
> http://www.securityfocus.com/news/9903
> 
> May I ask isn't OpenBSD a good solution for ATMs?
> 
> Has there been any work done or enquiries come to the OpenBSD
> Development Team in this regard?

Here's the problem:
The old systems worked.  But they were boring.  People want FLASH!
COLOR!  ExCiTeMenT! at their ATMs.  I guess.  So, they pull out
the fully functional, nice and reliable ATMs with green CRTs and
install...Windows based systems.  YES, I have walked up to an ATM
and seen it blue-screened.

Everyone wants security, but it is few people's top priority, in
spite of what they say.  They want security, but a click-and-doodle
advertising generation system is much more valuable to them.
Apparently, it is felt that a flashy ATM trying to persuade me to
refinance my mortgage is more profitable than a "secure" ATM that
only a few people would ever recognize.

Be scared.

OpenBSD won't give the customers (=banks) what they want, and if
you piled on enough cr*p to make it what they wanted, the security
avantage would be gone anyway.

yeah, this is way off topic.  sorry.

Nick.
-- 
http://www.holland-consulting.net