Most people imagine cybercrime as involving hackers from remote locations on the other side of the globe, breaking into servers to steal information and, as such, our involvement comes when the bank places a freeze on our credit cards.
“Shockingly, this is not the case,” reports ITPortal.com in their post, “How to Defend Against Physical Point of Sale Attacks.”
In fact, nearly one-half of all data breaches in the retail and hospitality sectors are classified as “physical attacks,” meaning that the criminals had to be on the premises in order to physically tamper with the point of sale system.
Given the strong presence Sintel Systems has in the frozen yogurt segment of the restaurant point of sale (POS) marketplace, we share these resources with our customers and franchise hopefuls. We also happily share our vast experience and expertise in the frozen yogurt market sector and geographic growth trends with startup owners in order to help them make the best decisions from the very beginning.
Here are the highlights of the ITPortal.com post:
Tactics used to physically compromise a point of sale terminal include the following:
– To make unauthorized purchases, criminals create a “clone” of the user’s credit card by using a skimmer to copy the credit or debit card’s magnetic strip data. The tactic necessarily involves replacing or modifying a retailer’s point of sale device in order to record or transmit the stolen data to a secure location.
– The smash and grab technique has criminals bribing employees to let them take the retailer’s point of sale terminals or a separate device for modification. The compromised device is then quickly returned for its new, nefarious purposes.
– In what’s called a sleight of hand move, some criminals manage to quickly and secretly modify a point of sale device ultimately for their own illegal gains.
– In an attack called the con, the bad guys portray themselves as employees of the point of sale terminal’s manufacturer to gain direct access to the device.
Tactics used to minimize the risk of the physical attacks described above include the following:
– Make a record of your point of sale devices and check the device serial numbers regularly to ensure they match your records.
– Educate the staff to better understand the tactics used by criminals and the hallmarks of physical tampering.
– Make it difficult for criminals by using cables and locks to physically secure point of sale devices.
– To deter criminals, install CCTV and maintain a video record of your point of sale terminals at all times.
Retailers must educate themselves, and their staffs, about the techniques criminals use to gain access to valuable customer information and devise a set of policies to prevent point of sale device tampering as well as nullify the effects of a compromise.
Read the full ITPortal.com post here.
Also, we’ve re-posted three blogs related to securing the point of sale which may be of interest to our audience.
Can’t Touch This-Durability a Weak Link in Mobile Point of Sale
Target Hack Claims Its Final Victim
PF Chang’s China Bistro Gets Targeted
“Any extra layer or variable in the point of sale process increases vulnerability, says President of Sintel Systems. “This is a paramount reason to have a one-stop POS solution.” He is laser-focused on quick response in keeping his POS solutions hardened against modifications, and points to how the close relationship his clients’ staff has with their POS provider keeps at bay any con artists wanting to penetrate security.
Sintel is the only full-service, direct-to-user point of sale provider — no resellers, no middleman. From software development to franchise incubator to ongoing support, part of Sintel’s commitment to our customers and industry is to share information on how to achieve success. Whether you’re a first-time franchise hopeful, a small business owner or an established chain, it’s always smart to stay on top of information technology.
Sintel forms lasting partnerships with our clients that you simply can’t get from a reseller, allowing larger franchises to grow and providing startups the foundation for future growth from the very beginning by acting as a franchise incubator. Our expertise can help you avoid common pitfalls of entry into this thriving but complex industry — including the rapid pace of technological change.
If you are interested in learning more about Sintel’s point of sale system and how our knowledge and support can help create secure transactions, call us for a free phone consultation.
Sintel Systems is the only direct to end user full-service provider of tailored Point of Sale systems across retail, restaurant and service industries, including frozen yogurt shops, pizzerias, sushi restaurants, cafés and retail stores.
As a single source for business solutions, our experienced, knowledgeable team negotiates the complex POS landscape for you to enable you to find the right POS system for your business and budget. Hardware – Software – Support
Questions or Comments: Contact us 855-POS-SALE www.SintelSystems.com
