Dynamic Keypad Layout for Secure mPOS Transactions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile Point-of-Sales (mPOS) applications on Common Off-the-Shelf (COTS) devices face challenges in protecting sensitive data and maintaining device health, leading to user discomfort and increased attack surfaces, which complicates transaction processes and reduces acceptance.
Innovation Solution
A method where a backend server and terminal device communicate through a network, with the terminal device acting as an I/O interface to capture and transmit transaction data, and the backend generating a dynamic keypad layout for entering personal identification numbers, ensuring secure authorization and transaction completion without predictable patterns.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a standard COTS device is used for mPOS application, then device versatility and accessibility are improved, but the attack surface increases and device security becomes more vulnerable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the security-critical functions from the COTS device by implementing a dedicated secure element (SE) that handles personal key storage and cryptographic operations. This separates the attack surface into two parts: the COTS device for user interaction and the secure element for security functions, reducing the overall attack surface while maintaining device versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a secure element as an intermediary component between the COTS device and the transaction processing system. This secure element acts as a mediator that protects sensitive data and provides authenticated communication, allowing the COTS device to maintain its versatility while improving security through the intermediary security layer.
2Reliability
If extensive external monitoring system is implemented, then device health and security are improved, but system complexity increases and performance is impacted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts security monitoring functions from the main COTS device and places them in a dedicated secure element. This separation removes complex monitoring operations from the device's main processing path, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining reliable device health monitoring through the specialized security component.
3Reliability
If complex setup and personalisation procedure is implemented, then security verification is improved, but user acceptance and ease of operation are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-configuring the secure element with the merchant's public key and establishing security parameters before actual transactions occur. This advance setup eliminates the need for complex real-time verification procedures during transactions, simplifying user operation while maintaining strong security verification through the pre-established secure channel.
4Ease of operation
If personal key is displayed on fixed keypad layout, then ease of input is improved, but security against fraud increases vulnerability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the keypad layout changeable rather than fixed. The secure element can dynamically generate different keypad layouts for each transaction based on cryptographic random numbers. This dynamic transformation maintains ease of input for users while severely reducing fraud risk, as the layout changes prevent pattern recognition and keylogging attacks.
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The present invention refers to a method for operating a mobile Point-of-Sales, mPOS, application. The method comprises the steps: a backend server (10) executes an application backend (140) of the mPOS application (14), a terminal device (11) executes an application frontend (141) of the mPOS application (14) that acts, upon launch, as an I/O interface with a human machine interface displayed by a touch screen of the terminal device, the application backend (140), upon receipt of a transaction request (3), transmits a layout for the human machine interface for entering a personal key, particularly a personal identification number, PIN, to the application frontend (141) and the application frontend (141), upon receipt of the authorization request (4) and the layout, provides the human machine interface with the received layout. The present invention also refers to a respective system.