ATMs and the Windows 11 Software Upgrade
Joe Woods, SVP Marketing & Partnerships
There is a lot of information and misinformation circulating regarding the required Windows 11 software. Windows 10 is sunsetting and therefore Windows 11 is now the new operating system of choice moving forward. Many of us may not realize, however, that there are multiple versions of Windows 10. These different versions have different sunset dates, different options for extended service plans as well as different applications.
Your ATM’s will be required to upgrade to Windows 11 at some point in the near future. However, that future could be four months away or forty months away. And if costs are similar to the Windows 10 upgrade, you could be spending $5,000-$14,000 per ATM for the upgrade. To figure out what is best for you, you need to examine your ATM fleet.
Several factors need to be considered for this change from Win10 to Win11. Making a rash decision to perform the upgrade without considering the key factors would be like throwing money away. For starters, how old are your current ATMs? If they are in the latter stages of their useful operating life, it may be more beneficial to consider new equipment. Most ATMs have a useful performance life of around seven years. There is no exact timeline. However, statistics show that after seven years, chronic issues and increased service calls begin to occur. Stretching the life of an ATM a couple years could mean significant downtime for the machine as parts start to break down. Are you willing to $10,000 in a software upgrade if your ATM is already near the end of its useful life?
The other factor is your current ATM model sunset date. Several ATM models are going out of service in the next couple of years. Unfortunately, many dealers and resellers will gladly sell you a brand-new ATM that has already been given a sunset date. They don’t want to keep a depreciating asset on their books and it is advantageous to offload the ATM to a new client. The sunset date does not coincide with the current age of the ATM. Many ATM models are operable for 15-20 years. But, when they sunset, ATM providers and manufacturers no longer provide updates and parts. This means you may have purchased an ATM two years ago that is sunsetting in 2027-28. Why spend $10,000 on a Windows 11 upgrade only to be replacing the ATM in 24 months?
What will happen if you don’t upgrade to Windows 11 or purchase the Windows 10 service extension? You will no longer receive updated patches for the windows software. This can create a vulnerability for an attack. However, there are other ways to mitigate the threat of an attack on your ATM’s operating software. Has your current ATM provider discussed the upgrade to Windows 11 as well as provided your ATM replacement timeline? Have they explained the other means that they are using to mitigate the threat of attack? The Windows software isn’t the only parameter needed to ensure you are defended against the DMA and jackpotting attacks.
Make sure you fully understand the dates surrounding the software, software service extension options, mitigation steps and your current ATM fleet timeline before agreeing to pay for these upgrades. Reach out to your league or association rep to find out more about your options and what you should be planning for.
