The computer operating systems and applications we use today have often evolved over many years, decades even, and contain tens or hundreds of millions of lines of code. Flaws in that code – and there will always be some – give rise to security problems that, in an internet-connected world, are an increasing problem.

Many are found in code written in the C++ programming language – in Microsoft Windows, in Java, in applications such as Abode Flash or Reader, the Outlook email client, browsers such as Internet Explorer and Firefox, and increasingly Linux and OS X. Any issues found to affect Linux and other Unix-like operating systems causes problems for Apple because OS X is Unix-like in nature.

How safe is Microsoft Windows? After all, the list of malware that has caused major headaches worldwide over the last 15 years is long – viruses, worms and Trojans have forced computers to shut down, knocked South Korea offline and even overloaded Google's servers.

Now, how safe do you feel knowing that cash machines across the world run Microsoft Windows?

An plot has been discovered, apparently spread across Russia, India, and China, whereby cash machines can be turned into a free money vending machine.

The hack requires re-starting the cash machine – essentially a Windows terminal – from a prepared CD that injects malware into the system to circumvent the security. At set times of the week, a unique code is generated and given to a "mule" who would approach the machine, enter the code, and withdraw up to 40 notes, anonymously and without trace.

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