Simple solution: Don't connect it to the Internet. Hackers hate this one weird trick.

It really depends if these systems (that appear to control arrival boards) are on a network or not. If they're not, then there is minimal risk to leave them the way they are. Somebody would need physical access to the devices to do harm. If they are on a network then that's a pretty big deal, but some attacks could be mitigated against by tunnelling and/or additional packet filtering to ensure the integrity of messages.

Continuing on a railway theme you should be FAR more worried all the devices that run up and down the side of railway lines - PLCs that talk with each other and operations centres to control things like lights, junctions, crossings etc. If they're more than 5 years old then chances are then all that traffic is in the clear, and because these things live in boxes by the railway line, it wouldn't take much to break into a network and potentially kill people by running two trains into each other.

they can execute their intended tasks without incident

Now if only the Deutsche Bahn could do that too

Lmao they don't know all the exploits people learn first are the brutally insane and easy stuff that works on outdated machines like heartbleed and eternal blue.

What exactly is the issue? Everything mentioned is true.

It even goes further when you consider how newer technology often incorporates more technology, which means a greater attack surface.

Tell me you know nothing about cybersecurity without telling me you know nothing about cybersecurity.

Oh, the ironing. Sad how you have >100 upvotes.

Deutsche Bahn is the circus and Siemens in this case the clowns.

If the system can't run perfectly on its own by now.... I can teach them how to play the snakes game on it.

I would love it so much. I’d feel right at home. I miss sitting in my room and learning everything I could about DOS. That was the best time I ever had with computers.

I once built, setup, and maintained about 20 computers for a Christian school for free just because I loved doing it so much.

I wish I still had that enthusiasm for tech.

Frankly that's nothing. In the worst case a train won't start, which for DB really isn't something unusual. It's far more disturbing how the whole global financial market sometimes rely on code that's still written in COBOL.

Well, DOS is open source now. And that old hardware was quite reliable. Fewer moving parts, I'd expect fewer things to break.

Some retired old fart who can't be bothered to learn fancy-schmancy Web 2.0. Rock on like it's '93

Was it really FUN or is it not just nostalgia? I would not reaaaally want to fiddle with the autostart-crap again. It often took soooo long. Even with those auto-optimizers...

lmao, 60k eur tops. wages in Germany suck ass, earning at least something is possible if you are running independent consulting or climbing corporate ladder, having some unique expertise or going extra mile as an employee is pretty much pointless.

The fact they're still running on dos is a clue that either they can't figure out how to upgrade or they don't want to upgrade or they simply won't allocate the budget to upgrade.

It generally boils down to money. Shops like that are toxic. They somehow don't have the budget to keep their business afloat, means you're not getting a raise.

If you take this job, you're obsolete. Getting the next job will be tough. You're interview at the next potential role what did you do at your current role? I ran dos on 30 year old machines. Interviewer: I'm sorry, but we need someone with experience in Windows ME.

You might, actually. Provided there is no available EU applicant.