Five Ways To Secure Your Electronic Cash Register

If you own a business that handles numerous transactions on a daily basis, then you probably know the importance of having an electronic till.  Many business owners know how efficient electronic point of sale systems can enhance service delivery. But, having these systems also comes with the responsibility of keeping them safe. This is something that cannot be ignored considering the threats of theft, burglary and cyber crime. Many businesses lose money due to these threats, but the good news is that there are ways to secure your electronic cash register. Here are some of the top five measures you can take to achieve this goal.

Invest in a Burglar proof Till

Burglar-proof tills are designed to make it difficult for robbers to open the cash drawer easily. They come with a wide range of features depending on the manufacturer. For instance, heavy duty and secure cash drawers are sometimes reinforced with steel. Other cash registers operate using a trigger, which can be controlled via lock and key to restrict access. Before making a purchase, make sure to find out what specific features a till system comes with to deter burglars.

Buy a Cash Drop Box

A cash drop box is an additional component that can also help to keep the money in your electronic cash register safe. You can ensure that this compartment is close by to collect large sums of money for safekeeping. This prevents internal theft and robbery since the money in the cash registers does not accumulate to excessively large amounts.

Choose Secure and Smart Cash Drawers

Cash drawers usually have some smart security features. For instance, some come with hidden compartments that are not easy to open. You can hide large bills in such places to avoid losing large sums of money in the event of a robbery. Other tills have auto-lock capabilities and only open when printing a receipt. Whatever smart security features a cash drawer may have, always make sure that they are compatible with your electronic point of sale system.

Make Use of Password Control

With today’s computerized electronic tills, it is important to restrict access to only authorized employees. Failure to do so can expose sensitive customer data to unauthorized parties. The best way to ensure that only trusted staff can access the cash register and POS system is through password control. In fact, passwords can even restrict access to customer data by ensuring that sales attendants only process transactions.

Prevent Cyber Attacks

The threat of cyber attacks is real, and especially in businesses that use the internet to process transactions. Fortunately, you can protect your electronic cash register from internet fraud. Here are three ways to do so.

Install Anti-Spyware Applications

Most cyber criminals look for backdoors to gain access to business networks and steal credit card data that belongs to customers. You can thwart such attempts using an anti-spyware application.

Use Updated Software

Using ancient software poses many threats than most users realize. Cyber criminals take advantage of vulnerabilities in outdated software to gain unauthorized access to business networks. Therefore, it is important to ensure that everything from your operating system, point of sale software to the anti-virus and other applications are up to date so as to keep cyber criminals at arm’s length.

Configure Firewalls Properly

Lastly, it is critical to ensure that your network firewall is properly configured.  This secures communication ports in your network, which cyber criminals could otherwise exploit.

Lastly, you should use encrypted or PCI DSS compliant chip and pin devices if your electronic cash register processes card payments. With those few tips, it is possible to secure your electronic till from all forms of theft.