Mobile Point of Sale (mPOS) solutions have revolutionized how businesses accept payments, but with innovation comes new challenges—particularly around security.
That’s where Samsung Knox POS* steps in, offering a hardware-backed solution that raises the bar for secure transactions and helps partners achieve compliance with industry standards like PCI MPoC.
In this blog, we’ll explore the rise of mPOS, the security challenges it presents, and how Knox POS addresses them to empower payment solution providers. Let’s dive in.
What is mPOS?
The mPOS market has rapidly evolved since its introduction in 2017. Unlike traditional POS terminals, which are single-purpose devices dedicated solely to payment processing, mPOS leverages multi-functional mobile devices—like smartphones and tablets—to accept payments anywhere, anytime.
This flexibility has made mPOS a game-changer for businesses, eliminating the need to invest in bulky, dedicated hardware while enabling seamless transactions in diverse settings.
Why mPOS has become a huge concern?
The mPOS market is booming. In 2023, its global value reached approximately $40.2 billion, and it’s expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of over 9% through 2032.
This growth is driven by businesses adopting smartphones and tablets for payment processing, providing unmatched convenience.
However, the rise of mPOS comes with risks. Unlike traditional POS terminals, which often feature built-in hardware security, mPOS devices rely on general-purpose operating systems like Android.
This broader functionality increases the attack surface, making them vulnerable to threats like malware, fraud, and data breaches. As adoption grows, robust security measures are no longer optional—they’re essential.
The threats to mPOS: Malware, OS-level security bypass, and keylogging
Payment processing solutions on mobile devices face significant risks:
- Malware: Threat actors exploit vulnerabilities in operating systems to compromise devices, enabling unauthorized access and control.
- Keylogging: Malicious software can capture PIN entries, exposing sensitive payment data.
- Side-channel attacks: Sophisticated attackers infer sensitive information, like PINs, through sensor data analysis.
These threats underscore the need for mPOS solutions that go beyond software-based protections.
Knox POS: Hardware-backed security with Arm®’s TrustZone
Samsung’s Knox POS provides a secure foundation for mPOS solutions by leveraging Arm® TrustZone technology. TrustZone creates a Trusted OS environment—completely isolated from the Android OS—to protect sensitive data like cryptographic keys and payment information.
This secure environment also powers a tamper-proof PIN pad, ensuring transaction integrity and confidentiality even if the Android OS is compromised. Knox POS takes full advantage of Samsung’s expertise as a device manufacturer to deliver security features that payment solution providers can trust.
Advanced features: Attestation, trusted PIN pad, and encryption
Knox POS includes several advanced security features designed to protect against some common attack scenarios:
- Knox Attestation: Ensures device integrity by verifying hardware-backed security flags, and detecting any signs of rooting or compromise.
- Trusted PIN pad: Provides a hardware-secured environment for PIN entry, immune to keyloggers and other spyware. Payment solution providers can customize the PIN pad to reflect their branding.
- Secure encryption: All cryptographic operations are performed within the Trusted OS, ensuring encryption keys remain inaccessible to potential attackers.
These features not only safeguard transactions but also enhance user trust and confidence.
Achieving PCI MPoC compliance with Knox POS
As mobile payment vulnerabilities grow, the Payment Card Industry (PCI) Council introduced the Mobile Payment on COTS (MPoC) standard.
This rigorous framework sets security requirements for mPOS solutions, making certification a key differentiator for payment providers.
Knox POS simplifies the path to compliance by meeting many of the MPoC requirements out of the box. For instance:
- The trusted PIN pad satisfies stringent conditions for secure PIN entry.
- Device attestation ensures compliance with rooting detection and other security measures.
With Knox POS, payment providers can accelerate their certification process and position themselves as trusted partners in the competitive payment industry.
Elevate payment security with Knox POS
Mobile Point of Sale solutions have unlocked incredible convenience for businesses and consumers, but they also demand robust security to address evolving threats.
Knox POS rises to the occasion with hardware-backed features that protect sensitive transactions and simplify compliance with industry standards like PCI MPoC.
Now is the time to strengthen your payment solutions with Samsung’s trusted security expertise. Explore the possibilities with Knox POS and deliver a payment experience that’s secure, seamless, and future-ready.
*As of release, the Knox POS SDK is supported only on select flagship and rugged devices, including:
• Smartphones: Galaxy S22, S21, and XCover6 Pro
• Tablets: Galaxy TabActive4 Pro
The list of eligible devices will expand to include select models running Android OS 13 or higher and Knox version 3.9 or higher. Availability of the Knox POS SDK may vary by country or region.
