financial services Archives

Winsage

November 26, 2025

How to make your ATMs Windows 11 ready

ATM operators are facing challenges in transitioning from Windows 10 to Windows 11 as support for Windows 10 ends. Many ATMs currently operate on various versions of Windows 10 IoT LTSC, including 2015, 2016, 2019, and 2021, each with different support lifecycles and upgrade paths. The most urgent concern is the Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC/LTSB 2015, which will lose support on October 14, 2025. The readiness of ATM manufacturers for Windows 11 varies; Diebold Nixdorf and Hyosung have announced their support, while NCR Atleos has not provided public information on its plans. Effective migration to Windows 11 requires thorough planning and testing, as manual testing processes may be inefficient. Utilizing virtualization and automation can enhance testing capabilities, allowing for concurrent testing of multiple OS versions, automated regression testing, and remote access to testing environments. Advanced tools like VirtualATM can help organizations manage the upgrade process more effectively.

AppWizard

October 30, 2025

microsoft-azure-cloud-services-outage

Microsoft acknowledged that users of its Azure cloud platform are experiencing difficulties accessing services such as Office 365 and Minecraft. The issues are linked to the Azure Front Door service, and customers can expect "initial signs of recovery" soon. Reports indicate that the outage has affected platforms including X-Box Live, Costco and Starbucks mobile apps and websites, and Copilot. This incident follows a recent significant outage of Amazon's cloud services that impacted various online platforms. Microsoft is the second-largest cloud provider, following Amazon.

Tech Optimizer

October 15, 2025

What Is Open Source Malware And Why Is It So High?

Open source malware refers to malicious code hidden within software packages on platforms like npm, PyPI, and Hugging Face, which are increasingly targeted by cybercriminals. In the third quarter of this year, Sonatype identified 34,319 malicious open source packages, contributing to a total of 877,522 over the past six years. Attackers are using artificial intelligence to embed malware in tools developers rely on, focusing on stealthy operations to avoid detection. Data exfiltration malware made up 37% of detected malicious packages in Q3, targeting sensitive information. Nearly 38% of threats were categorized as “droppers,” which install additional malware. The prevalence of backdoor-laden packages increased by 143% from the previous quarter. Financial organizations were the primary targets, with 47% of blocked malware attempts aimed at banks and financial services. Notable incidents include the npm hijacking of the “chalk” and “debug” packages and the Shai-Hulud campaign, which spread automatically across repositories. In the first quarter of 2025, 17,954 malicious packages were reported, with over half targeting confidential data, indicating a shift towards organized attacks on trusted dependencies.

Tech Optimizer

October 8, 2025

IBM and CockroachDB partner to bring PostgreSQL to mainframe

IBM has entered into an OEM agreement with Cockroach Labs to modernize mission-critical applications that have relied on mainframe hardware by providing a cloud-native PostgreSQL database compatible with hybrid environments. The collaboration aims to facilitate the transition to cloud-native and Kubernetes environments without rewriting core applications, although some intermediary components may still be needed. CockroachDB will be accessible on LinuxONE or Linux on Z mainframes, allowing customers to modernize in place while maintaining IBM hardware. Cockroach Labs is partnering with automation technology providers to ease migrations, but experts express skepticism about the complexities of migrating existing applications from Db2 to CockroachDB. Additionally, Cockroach Labs has released an open benchmark showing that CockroachDB has five times the resilience of Oracle's Globally Distributed Database, with less downtime.

AppWizard

July 25, 2025

Malicious Android Apps Mimic as Popular Indian Banking Apps Steal Login Credentials

Attackers are exploiting India's reliance on digital financial services by distributing counterfeit Android applications resembling those of public and private banks. This campaign, detected on April 3, 2025, employs methods like smishing texts, QR codes, and search-engine manipulation to trick users into sideloading malicious software. Within 48 hours of discovery, over 7,000 devices attempted to connect to a specific Firebase Cloud Messaging endpoint. The malware uses permissions to bypass security measures, capture one-time passwords, and gain insights into installed applications for overlay attacks. It collects sensitive information such as phone numbers and CVVs, which are uploaded to a private database. The malware also enables call forwarding to the attacker's number and maintains persistence through various tactics. The infection mechanism involves a dropper that installs a secondary APK silently, evading detection by not displaying a launcher icon. Security experts recommend enhanced phishing detection and real-time sandbox analysis to combat these threats.

Tech Optimizer

July 17, 2025

AWS Open-Sources pgactive PostgreSQL Extension

Amazon Web Services (AWS) has launched pgactive, an open-source extension for PostgreSQL that enables active-active replication, allowing databases to stream data asynchronously between instances. Announced in June 2025, pgactive was previously proprietary within AWS's Relational Database Service (RDS) and first appeared in late 2023. The extension supports conflict resolution and bidirectional data syncing, enhancing resiliency for high-availability applications. It is available under the Apache 2.0 license, encouraging community contributions and customization. Pgactive's architecture includes logical replication slots and customizable conflict handlers, essential for fault-tolerant systems. The open-source model promotes transparency and peer review, with potential integrations discussed in developer communities. The initiative aims to transform enterprise database replication and empower developers to innovate without vendor lock-in.

Tech Optimizer

July 15, 2025

VPN vs Antivirus 2025: Which Protects Your Finances Better?

In 2025, finance professionals face significant cybersecurity challenges due to evolving cyber threats. A VPN (Virtual Private Network) secures internet connections and encrypts data, while antivirus software detects and neutralizes malware and phishing attempts. For optimal protection, it is recommended to use both tools. A VPN masks IP addresses, encrypts sensitive transactions, prevents data harvesting on public Wi-Fi, and shields browsing from tracking. Antivirus software detects malware, blocks phishing emails, prevents keyloggers, quarantines infected files, and offers real-time threat detection, but does not encrypt internet connections. The comparison shows that a VPN encrypts internet traffic and hides IP addresses, while antivirus software prevents phishing and malware, detects keyloggers, and provides real-time threat monitoring. For financial safety, using both a VPN and antivirus is crucial, especially when accessing sensitive data on public networks or dealing with potentially harmful downloads. Common scenarios include using a VPN for banking on hotel Wi-Fi, requiring antivirus for suspicious downloads, and needing both tools for trading crypto on public Wi-Fi. Relying on one tool alone is insufficient, as a VPN does not protect against malware, and antivirus does not secure internet traffic.

Tech Optimizer

July 10, 2025

New Survey Reveals Strong Demand for High Availability as Businesses Increasingly Use PostgreSQL in Mission-Critical Applications and to Alleviate Cloud Outage Concerns

pgEdge, Inc. conducted a survey revealing that 91% of organizations using PostgreSQL require a maximum of 4 minutes of downtime per month, with 24% aiming for less than 30 seconds. While 21% experienced an outage in the past year, 82% are concerned about potential cloud region failures. Additionally, 79% of respondents are considering or piloting a distributed PostgreSQL solution within the next year. Over half (51%) use PostgreSQL in a hybrid database environment, and 35% use it as their primary database for customer-facing applications. Strategies for high availability include 58% relying on read replicas and automated failover, while 47% have implemented multi-master replication across multiple cloud regions. Businesses exceeding downtime thresholds face delays (56%), damage to brand trust (40%), and increased support requests (49%). Organizations using high availability PostgreSQL solutions report benefits such as increased uptime (53%) and cost savings (36%). The survey included 212 IT decision-makers, with 75% from enterprises with over 500 employees, and the top industries represented were financial services, software and computing, and manufacturing.

Tech Optimizer

July 10, 2025

New Survey Shows Strong Demand for High Availability as Businesses Increasingly Use PostgreSQL in Mission-Critical Applications and to Alleviate Cloud Outage Concerns

In a survey by pgEdge, Inc., 91% of PostgreSQL users expect no more than four minutes of downtime per month, equating to 99.99% uptime, with 24% aiming for less than 30 seconds. Despite these expectations, 21% experienced outages in the past year, and 82% are concerned about cloud region failures. Additionally, 79% of participants are evaluating or piloting distributed PostgreSQL solutions. Over half (51%) use PostgreSQL in hybrid environments, while 35% use it as the primary database for customer-facing applications. To achieve high availability, 58% rely on read replicas and automated failover, and 47% use multi-master replication across multiple cloud regions. Among those who exceeded downtime thresholds, 56% faced delays in operations, 40% reported damage to brand trust, and 49% experienced spikes in support requests. Organizations implementing high availability solutions reported increased uptime (53%) and cost savings (36%). The survey included 212 IT decision-makers from enterprises with 500 or more employees, with 75% in IT, Networking, or Security roles. The leading industries represented were financial services, software and computing, and manufacturing, comprising 69% of responses.

AppWizard

June 30, 2025

Urgent money requests on messaging apps? Stay alart!

Ensuring safety in the digital realm involves protecting one's entire online presence, especially from breaches of smartphone applications like social media and messaging platforms. Such breaches can lead to fraudulent activities, where scammers impersonate individuals to request money from their contacts. It is crucial to verify the authenticity of urgent financial requests received through messaging apps before taking action. Individuals should exercise caution when sharing personal information online, particularly in messaging groups where information can spread quickly. A real-life example involves a university student whose messaging app was compromised, leading to fraudulent money requests sent to his contacts. To stay safe, individuals should verify requests through different channels, be wary of unusual payment methods, scrutinize messages for odd language, avoid clicking suspicious links, and never share personal or banking details. They should also be aware that requests may originate from compromised accounts and report suspicious messages to the app and authorities. Maintaining awareness and skepticism is essential to avoid falling victim to fraud.