POS Security Layer Intercepts Payment Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current payment systems at point of sale (POS) terminals are vulnerable to data theft due to insecure transmission and storage of payment data, with payment data often being transmitted unencrypted and stored in unsecured locations, making it susceptible to interception and fraud.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a POS security layer (PSL) on the POS terminal and a server security application (SSA) on the POS server to intercept and encrypt payment data, providing false payment data for processing, which reduces the risk of actual data being stored or transmitted insecurely, thereby enhancing security.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If payment data is transmitted unencrypted and stored in unsecured locations, then transmission speed and storage simplicity are improved, but security against data theft and fraud deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary encryption of payment data at the POS terminal before transmission or storage. The POS security layer encrypts card data, track data, and other payment information in advance, so that even if data is intercepted during transmission or accessed during storage, it remains unreadable without the decryption key.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a POS security layer as an intermediary component between the payment data and the transmission/storage systems. This security layer acts as a mediator that encrypts data before it leaves the POS terminal and manages the encryption/decryption process, preventing direct access to plaintext payment data by potential thieves.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If payment data is encrypted and transmitted securely, then security against data theft is improved, but transmission complexity and processing time deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the security functionality into a separate, dedicated POS security layer that is distinct from the main POS processing system. This separation allows the security module to handle encryption and decryption operations independently, reducing the complexity burden on the main transaction processing system while maintaining robust security.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates and transmits only the necessary encrypted portions of payment data rather than the complete data set. The POS security layer selectively encrypts only the sensitive elements (card data, track data, expiration dates) and transmits these encrypted copies, reducing overall data complexity and transmission overhead while maintaining security.
3Ease of operation
If actual payment data is stored at the POS terminal, then transaction processing convenience is improved, but vulnerability to internal theft and external attacks deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary encryption of payment data at the POS terminal before transmission or storage. The POS security layer encrypts card data, track data, and other payment information in advance, so that even if data is intercepted during transmission or accessed during storage, it remains unreadable without the decryption key.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the state of payment data from plaintext to encrypted form through parameter transformation. The POS security layer applies encryption algorithms that transform the original payment data into an unreadable format, fundamentally changing the data's state to protect it from internal theft while maintaining usability through secure decryption when needed.
Data Source
AI summary
Payment card transactions at a point of sale (POS) are secured in certain embodiments by intercepting, with a POS security layer installed on a POS terminal, payment data from the POS terminal, transmitting the payment data from the POS security layer to a server security application installed on a POS server, and providing false payment data from the POS security layer to a POS terminal application installed on the POS terminal. The false payment data in various embodiments is processed as if it were the payment data, such that the POS terminal transmits an authorization request to the POS server using the false payment data. In addition, the authorization request may be transmitted from the POS server to a payment gateway.