FireEye says hackers are racing to compromise POS systems
Cybercriminals are redoubling efforts to steal payment card details from retailers before new defenses are put in place, according to FireEye.
More than a dozen types of malware were found last year that target point-of-sale systems, the electronic cash registers the process payments at many retailers.
Over the last few years, hackers have successfully breached the systems, targeting weaknesses or software vulnerabilities in order to extract card details to sell on the black market. As of last October, retailers are liable for fraudulent transactions that are not completed using EMV payment cards, which have a microchip and enhanced security defenses that better shield card data.
