Point-of-Sale (PoS) malware, or Point-of-Sale malware, is malicious software that targets payment card processes and operations at retail locations. It is designed to steal payment card data from affected businesses by exploiting vulnerable Point-of-Sale systems. PoS malware is most commonly spread through phishing attacks, USB flash drives or direct system intrusion and enables attackers to access customer personal identification numbers, credit card information and other critical financial data.
PoS malware attacks have grown in popularity for cyber criminals due to the availability of large databases of credit cards and the potential for large-scale data breaches. It is estimated that over 30 million payment cards have been exposed during PoS malware attacks since 2012. PoS malware is also used to spread other forms of malware, such as ransomware and malware variants used to mine cryptocurrency.
PoS malware often operates in the background on retail networks, allowing criminals to monitor data for long periods of time. It is capable of harvesting a large amount of sensitive information in a short amount of time, including customer names, addresses, credit card information, bank account numbers and social security numbers. It can also be used to gain remote access to the infected system and to compromise other network devices on the same network.
In order to protect Point-of-Sale systems from PoS malware attacks, organizations should implement comprehensive cybersecurity measures, such as antivirus and malware protection, firewalls, patch management systems and intrusion detection systems. Organizations should also be proactive in monitoring for suspicious activity, such as unusual changes in system performance, traffic volumes or transmission protocols. Additionally, organizations should ensure they are abiding by industry-standard security requirements, such PCI-DSS.
