With cybercrime on the rise at an exponential rate, no technology can be deemed safe. Even the point of sale (POS) systems of businesses – large and small – are potential victims of cyber-attacks. Indeed, in the summer of 2016, Russian hackers compromised nearly half a million POS systems, all of which were made by one of the largest sales system manufacturers, Oracle MICROS. In this sense, the best we can do is take all possible measures to secure ourselves from a largescale hack. It is a business owner’s duty, therefore, to look into the latest POS technologies and trends that are available on the market. The following are fundamental tips that ought to be accounted for when contemplating new modes of security for your business.
Remain Proactive About Your POS Terminals
Be attentive to all of your transaction records – if there is anything anomalous or simply confusing, it’s not the end of the world. The best thing to do is keep calm and contact a professional to help see you through the process of not only investigating curious situations, but to help you prevent more from happening in the future. Whether you notice a simple glitch or you’ve stumble upon actual monetary loss from a malevolent cause, your payment terminals – be they debit, credit, or both – must be changed.
If you’re new to the world of POS systems, it is useful to speak with a more hands-on, customer-oriented company – for instance, you can visit the Malaqy Group to learn more about what to look for while shopping for a payment transaction provider; additionally, you ought to conduct more extensive research by cross-referencing various providers, not only to compare prices and offerings, but to explore the security features their hardware and software, respectively, can bring to your business.
Update Your POS System Regularly
Even if you possess a brand-new EPOS system, operators must be mindful of new security patches. If your provider brings to your attention the availability of an update, it is important to act on this knowledge, as hackers are always afoot and capable of finding an exploit. Updates are there to ensure that even the most minute doorway into your business’s payment system is sealed. Not only that, they effectively speed up the software’s capacity to run, as the more wear and tear that your POS incurs from day-to-day usage, the slower it may become.
Use Malware-Resistant Operating Systems
In the recent attacks on stores like Target and restaurant chains like Wendy’s, hackers were able to covertly upload malicious software into the POS interface, and, because their systems were running on Windows, multiple apps – including the malicious ones – were able to run simultaneously. Unlike Windows, other operating systems like Apple’s iOS can only run one app at a given moment, preventing covert processes installed by remote hackers from being activated. As a secondary precaution, it is advisable to have an anti-virus program installed.
While it’s easy to forget just how versatile a POS system can be, and therefore, how important it is to the functioning of any given enterprise, anyone experienced in dealing with the consequences of a hacker are unlikely to take their merchant services for granted. As cybercrime continues to proliferate each and every day, your business ventures become more and more vulnerable to monetary loss and other damages. Taking precautions, then, is not something about which one can hesitate. Luckily, with these tips in mind, and the right merchant services on your side, you can ensure the well-being of your POS system, and ultimately, avoid being part of the spread of malware.
