News of the Intel chip flaw creating vulnerability in virtually everything with a computer chip in it was announced last week. Microsoft, Google and tech companies now have a fix so it’s time to update all your devices. These emergency updates are to address the bugs called Meltdown and Spectre.

“These hardware bugs allow programs to steal data which is currently processed on the computer. While programs are typically not permitted to read data from other programs, a malicious program can exploit Meltdown and Spectre to get hold of secrets stored in the memory of other running programs. This might include your passwords stored in a password manager or browser, your personal photos, emails, instant messages and even business-critical documents.”

“Meltdown and Spectre work on personal computers, mobile devices, and in the cloud. Depending on the cloud provider’s infrastructure, it might be possible to steal data from other customers.”

For PCI compliance, merchants must update software within 30 days, however, I wouldn’t wait. Prioritize updates now.

For more information on the bugs, see https://krebsonsecurity.com/2018/01/scary-chip-flaws-raise-spectre-of-meltdown/

Christine Speedy, CenPOS authorized reseller, 954-942-0483. CenPOS is a merchant-centric, end-to-end payments engine that drives enterprise-class solutions for businesses, saving them time and money, while improving their customer engagement. CenPOS secure, cloud-based solution optimizes acceptance for all payment types across multiple channels without disrupting the merchant’s banking relationships.