Virtual Router Securing POS Transactions via VPN Tunnels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Point-of-sale (POS) transactions over networks face security vulnerabilities as sensitive information is exchanged, with existing methods failing to ensure end-to-end encryption and protection from unauthorized access.
Innovation Solution
A virtual router is used to establish secured communication tunnels between retailers and payment processing entities by communicating with virtual private networks (VPNs), ensuring encryption and compliance with security protocols, thereby creating a secure end-to-end communication path for POS transactions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional POS transaction methods are used, then transaction speed and simplicity are maintained, but security vulnerabilities exist and sensitive information may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a virtual router as an intermediary component that establishes secured communication tunnels between POS terminals and payment processing entities. This virtual router acts as a mediator that implements encryption and security protocols without requiring changes to existing POS terminals, thereby improving security while maintaining compatibility with current systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the communication path into separate secured tunnels for different data types (authentication data, transaction data, etc.). Each tunnel is independently encrypted and managed, allowing selective application of security measures to different portions of the transaction flow, which improves overall security while managing complexity through modular organization.
2Reliability
If encryption and security protocols are implemented, then protection of sensitive information is improved, but transaction processing time may increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent establishes secured communication tunnels and encryption protocols in advance before actual transactions occur. The virtual router pre-configures secure pathways and cryptographic parameters, so that when transactions occur, the security infrastructure is already in place and ready to process encrypted data without adding significant overhead to transaction processing time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent maintains continuous secured communication channels that remain active throughout the transaction process. Rather than establishing and tearing down security connections for each individual transaction, the system maintains persistent encrypted tunnels, eliminating the repeated setup overhead and ensuring continuous protection without time loss.
Data Source
AI summary
Implementations of the present disclosure involve an apparatus, device, component, and/or method for a networking component for use in creating a virtual secured point-of-sale (POS) transaction over a network. In one embodiment, the networking component is a virtual router that is located logically between a retailer and a payment processing company for processing a POS transaction. To facilitate the POS transaction, the virtual router communicates with one or more virtual private networks (VPNs) to establish secured communication tunnels over which information and network traffic may be broadcast that prevent unauthorized access to the information from an outside source or third party. In this manner, a secured end-to-end security communication tunnel (including encryption of the transmitted data) may be created over a network from the originating point of sale (retailer) to the payment processing company.