the perils of using windows for critical systems new south wales ambulance

[Sionyn]

http://www.techworld.com.au/article/376509/nsw_ambulance_computers_coming_back_online/

you might be intrested to know that 1/2 attack attempts against windows machines results in exploitation that is a successfully attacked 

[EEVblog]

Remind me no to get sick or have an accident...

Dave.

[adam1213]

I am sure it is probably windows that they are using but has anyone actually confirmed this?

According to microsoft windows is being used for at least one ambulance system  http://www.microsoft.com/industry/healthcare/providers/housecalls/articles/ambulance_service.mspx

edit:

The Ambulance Service would not say which operating system VisiCAD used, but on its website, developer TriTech indicated the software was Microsoft based.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/world-focus-on-ambulance-system-failure/story-e6frgakx-1226005951185

[the_raptor]

The peril of not having protection between your servers and user machines. This was an IT failure, not a Windows failure.

Frankly for something critical like this I wouldn't use any consumer OS. I would use a hardened real time OS or similar.

But of course the ability of management* to easily pull data in and out of Excel is considered more important than the reliability and ease of maintenance of the system.

* Every public service in NSW is way over burdened with dickheads in Sydney getting six figures to molest data instead of allowing the workers to actually do their jobs.

[Simon]

to be honest I'm very suprised that governments and goverment departments are not using a purpose built OS, windoes is just too unreliable and vulnerable

[Sionyn]

its microsofts fault for pushing unreliable  software on our public systems.

all software has bugs written by humans after all
winodows is a real pos in reality and unix linux whilst steps ahead are no better
doesn't take much to tie up the message loop and just badly designed.

remember this
http://www.our-picks.com/archives/2007/02/01/bill-gates-vista-is-so-secure-it-could-run-life-support-systems/

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/01/20/sheffield_conficker/

its not a rant about operating systems but a realization that off the shelf operating systems have no place in these settings in critical systems.

[Zero999]

The peril of not having protection between your servers and user machines. This was an IT failure, not a Windows failure.

Frankly for something critical like this I wouldn't use any consumer OS. I would use a hardened real time OS or similar.

Yes, no one in their right mind would dream of using Windows to control a nuclear reactor, in fact the whole idea or using ordinary PCs for safety critical systems is stupid.

[Alex]

Yes, no one in their right mind would dream of using Windows to control a nuclear reactor, in fact the whole idea or using ordinary PCs for safety critical systems is stupid.

Isn't this the direction NI is pushing their products? I mean, NI products are used extensively in CERN.

During a high-end Tektronix scope demonstation the sales-person said that the more expensive scope was using Windows and the cheaper one was using a proprietary OS. He then dared to imply that the scope using Windows as an OS must be better...

[Simon]

my company bought some CNC equipment a couple of years ago, within weeks it was down: WindoZe again

[Sionyn]

The worst one I remember was during a gig

I use guitar amp modelling software to emulate expensive amps when I need different sounds
than my jcm 800

ill nether forget the embarrassment, half way through the solo of a mr big song
the bloody thing blue screened

and there was I looking like a right T**T pulling stupid faces
only to notice there was no sound
and I just though the loop/feedback had failed

then to stoop it all off I fell down the stage exit stairs after having rock star strop

looking back it was funny except the fall down stairs

[Uncle Vernon]

This was an IT failure, not a Windows failure.

Quite correct! The CAD system is not a Windows only platform! While not wanting to defend Microsoft or Windows and their appalling approach to security, there is nothing to be gained by simplifying this incident to a Windows flaw.

Frankly for something critical like this I wouldn't use any consumer OS. I would use a hardened real time OS or similar.

But of course the ability of management* to easily pull data in and out of Excel is considered more important than the reliability and ease of maintenance of the system.

Properly designed and hardened, a good back end system can maintain it's integrity without risk. The real risk is that any data extracted to insecure systems becomes insecure also. If the front end interface is properly thought out and flexible enough to meet routine needs, then you have to question why there is a need for extraction onto unmanaged and insecure excel spreadsheets.

* Every public service in NSW is way over burdened with dickheads in Sydney getting six figures to molest data instead of allowing the workers to actually do their jobs.

And there in lies the problem! Contracts awarded to political mates rather than via merit via open and compliant tenders!

There is an election in a few weeks time to tell the incumbents and their stacked public service hierarchy how we feel about their management and spending performance.

[sonicj]

The worst one I remember was during a gig

I use guitar amp modelling software to emulate expensive amps when I need different sounds
than my jcm 800

ill nether forget the embarrassment, half way through the solo of a mr big song
the bloody thing blue screened

and there was I looking like a right T**T pulling stupid faces
only to notice there was no sound
and I just though the loop/feedback had failed

then to stoop it all off I fell down the stage exit stairs after having rock star strop

looking back it was funny except the fall down stairs

ouch! the stuff of nightmares right there! your example is #1 reason i switched to mac for live performance. aside from being inherently less prone to various modes of failure, should the occasion arise that something on my laptop goes horribly wrong, i can either: a. boot off of a backup image on a external drive. b. pull another laptop out of my bag and boot off it's internal drive  c. pull another laptop out of my bag and boot off the original machine's internal drive. all of which result in only a couple minutes of down time, no phone calls to india, and only minor bruising of ego.   
-sj