Custom-made malware is infecting POS terminals

A new type of malware aimed at Point-of-Sale (POS) systems has been spotted on machines belonging to big-name retailers, hotels, restaurants, and parking providers located mostly in Northern America and Western Europe.


Dubbed "Dexter" due to a string contained in some of its files, it is still unknown how it infects affected systems.

Seculert researchers shared that over 30 percent of the compromised POS systems use Windows Server editions, which does not point to the usual web-based social engineering or drive-by download infection methods.

According to the researchers, Dexter is custom-made malware that steals the process list from the infected machines, while simultaneously parsing memory dumps of specific POS software related processes in search for Track 1/Track 2 credit card data.

The stolen data is sent to a remote server operated by the criminals, then used to clone credit cards and steal money from the victims' accounts.

"Instead of going through the trouble of infecting tens of thousands of consumer PCs or physically installing a skimmer, an attacker can achieve the same results by targeting just a few POS systems with specially crafted malware," the researchers pointed out the "beauty" of the scheme.


Thanks to Author: Zeljka Zorz, HNS Managing Editor

Hackers steal customer data from Barnes & Noble keypads

Hackers broke into keypads at more than 60 Barnes & Noble bookstores and made off with the credit card information for customers who shopped at the stores as recently as last month.
The company discovered the breach on September 14 but kept it quiet while the FBI attempted to track the hackers. Hackers broke into the point-of-sale terminals at 63 stores across the country, including locations in New York City, San Diego, Miami, and Chicago.
Since discovering the breach, the company has uninstalled all 7,000 point-of-sale terminals from its hundreds of stores for examination. Although only one terminal in each of the 63 targeted stores was found to have been compromised, the company has not reinstalled the keypads.
"Customers can make transactions securely today by asking booksellers to swipe their credit and signature debit cards through the card readers connected to cash registers," the company said in a statement.

The company said it is advising customers to change their personal identification numbers and monitor their credit card statements. It also said it was "working with banks, payment card brands and issuers to identify accounts that may have been compromised, so banks and issuers can employ enhanced fraud security measures on potentially impacted accounts."
The company said its customer database is secure and that purchases made on BarnesandNoble.com, Nook, and Nook apps were unaffected.
The practice of credit card skimming has become more frequent in recent years. Last month, two Romanian men pled guilty to hacking point-of-sale terminals at hundreds of Subway sandwich stores in the U.S. to steal credit card data from more than 146,000 accounts. 

by Steven Musil

Thanks to http://news.cnet.com 

POS System: What to Look For?

Whether you are looking for a web-based or Desktop-based POS system, you will want it to be a complete package. It should not only improve customer satisfaction, but also meet your needs as a retail business. The following criteria are what we looked for in these systems to meet both points.

Hardware
A complete solution should include a PC or module, display, keyboard and mouse, high–quality cash drawer, barcode scanner, credit card reader, receipt printer and label printer. Top manufacturers will customize the system to fit your business. Some companies have specific packages of hardware, while others offer each piece separately. Either way is fine as long as it meets your needs.

Inventory & Other Features
Whether it is software- or web-based, you want a system that will help track, organize and supply your inventory. Organization plays a major part in your employees' ability to locate items in the system, which in turn speeds the checkout process. Many also provide built in options for layaways, multi-payment plans and gift certificates.

Customer Tracking & Labels
For some businesses, it can be quite beneficial to be able to retain customer information for future transactions. Some software will also allow you to track customer's lines of credit so that they can buy now and pay later. Stored customer information can also speed up shipping by having labels with a customer's address all ready to go. Most POS Systems will print shipping labels, but only select systems will also do price tags, shelf tags and customized labels.

Employees & Security
All the information on POS systems is important. You will want one that has multiple levels of security access and password protection. It is also convenient when you can use your point of sale system for clocking in and out, tracking commissions, tracking employee hours and similar benefits.

Help & Support
The best manufacturers provide training through videos and manuals. Providers should also offer technical help through FAQs and online tutorials as well as 24/7 phone and email support. Aside from learning how to use them, POS systems can have issues just like any piece of equipment, so find a company that offers excellent tech support and a warranty.

The combination all of these features together gives you a solid POS system that will make your customers happy, help you manage your inventory and sales transactions, simplify your business and generally improve your speed and efficiency. The key is to find the one that best meets the needs of your company and clientele.