It is crucial for the hospitality and retail industries to maintain PCI compliance to protect their customers’ credit card data. And compliance isn’t a one-time thing; it’s an ongoing process that calls for restaurants and stores to adjust their POS systems each time there is a change in requirements. Hospitality establishments will soon be affected by one of these changes.
On April 8, 2014, Microsoft will stop supporting Windows XP – the most installed operating system in restaurants and retail stores for more than 10 years – meaning those using the system must make upgrades before then to maintain compliance (with the exception of POSReady 2009, which will have extended support until April 2019).
What should I do?
Microsoft recommends that businesses start preparing for their system changes as soon as possible by completing the following steps:
- Check the operating system version you have installed in each of your POS terminals to determine whether or not your business will be affected by the change.
- Verify your findings by contacting the vendor you purchased your system from.
- Ask your vendor to recommend the upgrade options that would work best for you.
- Ask your vendor to project upfront costs and deployment time frames for each upgrade option, because with April 8 quick approaching, there is little time left for training and installation.
- Budget accordingly for your new system. Ask your vendor about this as well, as upgrade costs can vary depending on the age of your current POS system.
If you are not concerned with the brand name of your operating system, look to your vendor. They should be able to point you in the direction of a system that is similar or more cost-effective. If you are a fan of the Windows XP product, you may want to follow in the footsteps of businesses that have chosen to stick with a Microsoft operating system.
When should I do it?
If your restaurant or retail store has not started planning for your new system yet, do so as soon as possible. Microsoft explained on their website that based on historical customer deployment data, the average enterprise deployment can take 18 to 32 months. Deployment may take less time for a small to medium-sized business, but squeezing it into two months could still be tough. It’s very important to leave enough breathing room to budget for your new system, installation and employee training.
What will happen if I don’t?
Restaurants and retail stores using Windows XP will be vulnerable to security breaches as of the end of life date. Microsoft will release security updates for its supported Windows versions and hackers will use XP as a test to search for weak spots. If they find the same weak spots in XP as in other versions, malware authors will write exploit code and can gain access to your customers’ credit card or financial data.
Not to mention, your business could:
- Be fined for failure to pass compliance audits or for being in a non-compliant state.
- Lose the ability to use major credit cards and access critical business data.
- Run the risk of tarnishing its public image because of security breach or failure to pass compliance.
As a technology manufacturer, its OUR job to do our best to keep our resellers informed of critical information that may affect them as related to our product. As a reseller, its YOUR job to keep your end users informed, operational, protected and safe from data breaches to the best of your ability. Be proactive now on your schedule, not reactive when your phone starts ringing for support!
Are you ready for the Windows XP end of life?
