Tips For Keeping Your POS Secure

When you’re shopping for a new point of sale system, you’re probably concerned with the features it offers, its usability, and, of course, its price.

Most people generally don’t consider how secure their system is going to be. And while huge advancements have been made in encryption methods and online security over the years, a breach could still spell disaster for your company and your customer base.

Fortunately, most of the best POS systems have very strong security measures, but there are still things you should do to make sure you’re protecting your data and your customers as much as possible.

What Is POS Security?

Point of sale security involves measures put in place to ensure payments and customer information are kept safe from hackers and viruses that could steal data or upend a business’s operations.

These can be as simple as ensuring your system’s built-in security measures are activated and functional or can involve installing additional software for an added layer of protection.

Top Tips For Making Sure Your POS Is Safe

Obviously, no software is going to be 100% immune to cyber attacks, but here are some ways you can do yourself and your customer base a favor:

• Make sure your system uses end-to-end encryption: This is a common practice in most modern POS systems like Square and Clover, but not all of them. There’s really no excuse for a POS system not to have this level of security where all phases of a transaction from start to finish are encrypted and secure from hacking.
• Phase out magstripe payments: While this used to be the go-to form of card payment, it’s no longer the most secure way to take a transaction. Whenever possible, it’s best to use an EMV chip reader or a tap payment, as those methods have additional security measures.
• Use two-step authentication: If you are worried about unauthorized users accessing your POS hardware, you can set up additional security features to make it more difficult to gain entry. Adding authentication measures like passwords or biometrics can give you peace of mind.
• Use permissions for your employees: Many point of sale systems offer this feature in their basic package. Assigning permissions allows you to select what types of employees have access to various functions on your software. This can be particularly valuable when you’re still vetting newer employees and helps business owners monitor their workforce.
• Stay vigilant and check transactions daily: One of the easiest ways to help stem fraud is simply catching it early. Staying on top of your finances and flagging any suspicious activity immediately helps protect against future fraud and can limit any potential breaches.
• Install anti-virus software: Malware attacks can be extremely damaging to a company and can cripple your POS software. While most systems will come with some form of security to prevent malware attacks, additional anti-virus software can defend against larger attacks and is relatively affordable.
• Make sure your system is updated: Most POS software companies are constantly updating their services. If you have the option, make sure that you turn on automatic updates, which will download any new patches immediately. This will ensure that you have the most up-to-date security and will also allow your system to run more smoothly and with fewer crashes.

POS Security Misconceptions

Just because there are potential threats to your point of sale software’s data doesn’t mean you have to live in fear of having your data or your identity stolen. Companies are constantly updating their systems with additional security patches and online payments are safer than they’ve ever been. Here are a few more common misconceptions about POS security.

• Cloud-based POS software is inherently less secure: There’s a reason that cloud-based POS systems continue to be incredibly popular and have overtaken locally installed systems. Not only are they generally much cheaper, but their security has also improved tremendously as advancements in encryption technology make in-person and online payments extremely safe.
• An internet connection is needed to process payments: Most point of sale systems come with an offline mode that still allows you to access most of your POS features even if your internet goes down. This includes the ability to take card payments, which are stored in the system, encrypted, and then processed once a connection is restored.
• The biggest security threat to your company is outside hackers or malware: While security breaches do happen, they aren’t extremely common, and hackers are generally more interested in larger corporations than small businesses. Instead, utilize permissions and audit your payments and your inventory regularly to catch theft or other potentially illegal activity from employees.

Final Thoughts

Making sure your point of sale software is safe and secure is an important part of running a small business. Even a small breach can damage the trust of your customer base and, if you’re already running on tight margins, any monetary loss could put you in a significant bind. With that said, any good POS system will have strong built-in measures to keep your valuable information safe.

Choosing a reputable point of sale vendor is important. Do your research and check out user reviews to find the system that’s right for you. With so many options there’s no need to settle on a system you’re not entirely happy with. Also check out the company’s customer service reputation as well. Having POS software that comes with the ability to quickly and effectively solve any problems that happen to pop up can also provide you with an additional level of security.