POS Security Checklist
POS security is critical - our checklist will help you get it right
POS security is a critical concern for today's retail businesses. Staying informed and proactive is essential to achieve a high level of security. This blog post outlines 10 key recommendations to enhance the security of your POS system, demonstrating how our Hii Checkout solution within the Hii Retail platform aligns with these best practices. By following these guidelines, you can ensure your POS system is robust, secure, and capable of meeting the demands of modern retail operations.
Why is it important to have a secure POS setup?
In today’s digital age, your customers expect their payment information and sensitive data to be protected with the highest security standards. A breach can shatter their trust, causing irreparable damage to your brand’s reputation and taking years to rebuild.
Beyond customer trust, there are significant regulatory and financial implications. Non-compliance with security standards can result in hefty fines, and a data breach can severely disrupt business operations, draining resources and potentially bringing daily activities to a standstill.
Investing in a secure POS system is not just a wise choice—it's a critical one. While cheaper solutions might seem cost-effective initially, they often lack robust security features, leading to far greater expenses down the line. Opting for a highly secure system safeguards your business, ensuring long-term stability and customer confidence.
10 considerations when selecting a secure POS system
1. Regularly updated systems
Keep all software and systems up-to-date with the latest security patches. Regular updates help minimize and eliminate vulnerabilities that could be exploited by attackers. Conversely, systems that are infrequently updated increase the risk of a successful attack against older vulnerable software.
2. Rapid recovery
Attacks on data availability, such as ransomware, can be catastrophic to retail operations. Make sure that your POS vendor can rapidly recover data in the event of a successful attack. Better yet, look for a POS solution that doesn’t require that data be stored on every POS terminal.
3. Alternative checkout platforms
Ensure that your POS provider has alternative checkout platforms available to maintain operations during a security incident. These alternatives can survive in the face of attacks on operating systems, internet communications, or even on the electrical grid.
4. Advanced security features from cloud providers
Cloud providers employ built-in security features such as rest and transit encryption, rich Identity and Access Management (IAM) capabilities, and advanced intrusion prevention and detection. Utilize these features to safeguard your POS system against unauthorized access and data breaches.
5. Continuous monitoring and automated security tests
Ensure that your POS provider has incorporated automated security-specific testing into their software development processes. DevSecOps is the practice of using Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) pipelines to perform static analysis for code security defects, detection of misconfigurations in infrastructure as code, and external vulnerability scanning of applications. These checks run on every single change to make sure that the solution is always secure.
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6. Regular security training and drills
Supply chain attacks are on the rise. Be sure that your POS software provider conducts regular information security training for all employees. This includes incident response drills and tabletop exercises to ensure staff are prepared to handle security incidents effectively. This will help to ensure that your POS solution doesn’t become the vehicle for transporting security threats into your retail operations.
7. Detection and incident response
Make sure your provider has implemented robust detection controls to identify and alert personnel of attempted and successful intrusion attempts. Paired with a well-tested incident response plan that includes root cause analysis, forensic evidence collection, and clear communication strategies with all stakeholders.
8. Secure data transmission
All data exchanges should be conducted over secure channels that implement Transport Layer Security (TLS). This ensures that data is encrypted during transmission, protecting it from interception and tampering.
9. Strong identity and access management
Ensure your POS provider has implemented robust identity and access management using OpenID Connect (OIDC) and OAuth2 protocols. These standardized protocols enable granular role-based access controls, ensuring only authorized personnel can access sensitive POS data and perform POS operations.
10. Modern application delivery
Check that your provider is incorporating containerized runtimes with autoscaling and auto-recovery. This helps to ensure your POS system is not only secure but also highly resilient and scalable, providing a robust foundation for your business operations regardless of the adverse conditions typical of cyber security attacks that target availability.
Choose a reputable vendor known for POS security
Achieving POS security often comes down to choosing the right provider. Reputable POS vendors design solutions to meet these challenges. If security is a high priority for your business, as it should be, it’s wise to do your research. There is plenty of information online, including testimonials and word-of-mouth, to help you find a suitable POS system for your business.
Hii Checkout: a secure POS solution using the latest cloud technology
Hii Checkout is Extenda Retail’s next-generation cloud-native POS solution leveraging Google Cloud technology to deliver a customer-focused experience across all channels. It's built upon a secure-by-design cloud infrastructure, adhering to industry-standard security frameworks. You can be sure that your data is kept confidential and private while reaping all of the benefits of a revolutionary Unified Commerce platform.?