PCI Compliance and Windows XP
It is crucial for hospitality and retail businesses to maintain PCI compliance to protect their customers’ credit card data. This includes updating POS software and antivirus software, configuring routers to block outside access and performing system scans for quality assurance. As PCI compliance is an ongoing process, POS system users must keep up with changes in requirements.
In the next year, an important change in this process will affect many in hospitality and retail industries – Microsoft will stop supporting Windows XP as of April 8, 2014. For the past 12 years, Microsoft Windows XP has been the most widely installed operating system, especially in hospitality. This means that if Windows XP is still in use in a POS system, you will no longer be PCI compliant as of April 8, 2014. However, those using POSReady 2009 will have extended support until April of 2019.
Microsoft recommends that retailers and restaurateurs begin preparing for this change now, starting with determining whether or not their system will be affected. (Step-by-step instructions can be found on the Microsoft website.) Those affected will need to make system upgrades. Businesses must also check the version of their operating systems installed in each of their POS terminals.
For verification, Microsoft recommends contacting your POS vendor. They can confirm your findings and recommend upgrade options, as well as estimate costs. Upgrade costs will vary depending on the age of your POS system – that’s why it would be smart to act now so you are able to budget accordingly.
