ON TUESDAY, I used the immigration automated clearance system (IACS) at Changi Airport Terminal 1, upon returning from an overseas trip.
While scanning my fingerprint, I saw the familiar Windows taskbar on the screen.
From the look of its buttons and icons, the taskbar appeared to be from an old version of Windows, such as Windows XP.
It did not resemble the taskbar for the newer Windows 7.
Microsoft has officially stopped supporting versions of Windows older than Windows XP. If the IACS is running on an old version of Windows, then it is not receiving any more product updates, including the latest security fixes.
This exposes the system to potential compromise. A malicious user could scan a "bad" passport that loads a virus into the system. The fallout from such a compromise would be catastrophic.
I hope the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority can clarify if what I saw was an anomaly and reassure the public that the IACS is running on the latest software.
Balasingam-Chow Yu Hui
While scanning my fingerprint, I saw the familiar Windows taskbar on the screen.
From the look of its buttons and icons, the taskbar appeared to be from an old version of Windows, such as Windows XP.
It did not resemble the taskbar for the newer Windows 7.
Microsoft has officially stopped supporting versions of Windows older than Windows XP. If the IACS is running on an old version of Windows, then it is not receiving any more product updates, including the latest security fixes.
This exposes the system to potential compromise. A malicious user could scan a "bad" passport that loads a virus into the system. The fallout from such a compromise would be catastrophic.
I hope the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority can clarify if what I saw was an anomaly and reassure the public that the IACS is running on the latest software.
Balasingam-Chow Yu Hui
