Tell Malware to Backoff Your Business

When Revel started to build the Revel POS it was architected for security from day one - not as an afterthought like most POS vendors. Revel POS, again, unlike most vendors, sends encrypted card data from the Swipe device direct to the payment card gateway. Sending data this way keeps all card data out of the Revel Cloud - not even encrypted card data is stored in the Revel Cloud. We take data security very seriously, and have gone above and beyond to ensure that our customers’ credit cards are secure and is never compromised. Using an Apple iPad is an even greater defense as iOS-based point of sale is immune to malware - yet  another reason we established the Apple iPad as the foundation for the Revel POS.

Backoff strikes over 1,000 retailers
This emphasis on security extends to the latest malware that has been plaguing businesses across the country:  “Backoff” - according to Ars Technica - has infected “more than 1,000 US businesses...with a malicious program that targets point-of-sale systems and steals credit- and debit-card data.” The article goes on to note that the malware “began spreading as early as October 2013 and has typically escaped notice by antivirus defenses.” And, when you take into account that many of the businesses affected are franchises with hundreds of locations, each with their own POS terminals, the number of actually-affected terminals is astronomical.

Not to be taken lightly, Backoff is a malware that seeks out its victims by scanning for installations of “the remote-desktop software frequently used by service providers to manage the point-of-sale systems for their retail clients.” Once these systems are found, the program works to figure out the passwords of these remote-desktops after which Backoff is then surreptitiously installed. It masquerades as a “Java component” on the POS system, and gleans credit card data from transactions when they occur.

Protect yourself
Revel Systems is immune to Backoff malware - indeed, to all types of point of sale malware. Here’s how Revel keeps your business safe from Backoff:

• Credit card data never goes through the POS. Revel’s innovative technology enables credit card data to go directly to the payment processor without entering the point of sale. Unlike other systems, which allows data to enter the terminal as well as the back-office server, Revel ensures a secure transaction by sending data directly where it needs to go.
• Secure, PCI-certified card swipes. The process described above works via Point-to-Point Encrypted card swipes. Revel offers an array of PCI-certified card swipes that ensure credit card data is protected, including the ID Tech and Infinea Tab.
• Data is never stored. As stated above, credit card data never enters the Revel POS terminal nor the Revel cloud, and is therefore never stored. Much of Backoff’s success is due to the fact that credit card data is stored on back-office servers, making it easy for the malware to gather credit information and deliver it to hackers.

Securing real businesses
Amy’s Candy Kitchen, a long-time client, has trusted Revel Systems with its credit card data and overall business security since Revel’s inception. John Lillegren, President & CEO, is a self-proclaimed “Apple fanboy,” and already had great faith in Apple’s secure iOS to keep his business safe. This is one of the reasons why - when searching for a new POS system - John avoided Windows-based systems and their subsequent susceptibility to standard attacks, and waited for an iPad-based system to emerge. He chose Revel because of Chris Ciabarra’s background in PCI-DSS requirements and data security. John was confident in choosing Revel because Chris had been “dealing with security already, and therefore knew exactly how to build the infrastructure and lay the foundation for the Revel app from day one.” John saw choosing Revel for Amy’s as “The perfect marriage - We trusted in the Revel product because of Chris’s knowledge of security, and security was huge for us.”

Educate & take action
Revel Systems gives you the tools you need to grow and thrive as a business, and that includes making sure credit card data is secure. Download our POS Security white paper to learn more about how to secure your business, and don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions. Secure and PCI compliant, Revel protects you and your customers from malware such as Backoff, ensuring secure transactions and overall peace of mind.