How to avoid cyber fraud in card transaction

With a spurt in card transaction after demonetisation in India, Russia-based software security company Kaspersky Lab has asked people to remain vigilant, listing a set of precautions to avoid any cyber fraud.

Attacks on point-of-sale (POS) systems have been growing over the past few years, as physical POS contains the all-important information found on the magnetic strip of a credit card, meaning it can be cloned and used for fraudulent purchases.

"Make sure your employees think twice about their behavior around your POS systems and ensure that they understand that casually clicking on social media links and email attachments in the workplace, especially on any POS-equipped machines, is unacceptable," suggested Altaf Halde, Managing Director, Kaspersky Lab (South Asia).

Halde advised that once a POS system is installed, password should be changed from the default system and ensure that each employee has their own login to the machine, so that individual passwords are not shared.

"These passwords are changed regularly. If an employee ceases to work for the business, make sure their password is removed from the system," Halde added.

To secure the POS system, any Wi-Fi systems should be password-protected, and each Internet connection with a firewall. Halde also recommended encrypting sensitive payment data of customers.