[News] More than 1,000 businesses across the U.S. might have been affected by a new kind of point-of-sale (PoS) malware, according to an Aug. 22 advisory from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The “Backoff” malware seems to be the same one responsible for last year’s major IT security breach at Target, and DHS also believes it to be behind a more recent hacking incident at The UPS Store chain. Backoff takes advantage of applications that let remote users connect with a company’s in-house computer networks. Hackers have been using the malware to log into businesses’ PoS systems, which are used to process sales, and access payment information.

DHS first identified Backoff Malware in October 2013, and has discovered several other variants since then, the most recent one being found in May of this year. Since its investigation began, the agency says it has confirmed that seven PoS vendors or providers with more than 1,000 businesses customers have been affected by the malware.

The DHS has been conducting its investigation with the help of the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center; the U.S. Secret Service; the Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center; and Trustwave, a Chicago-based cyber-security company.

Businesses can take security measures to reduce their chances of malware attacks. It is important to follow cyber security best practices such as using strong passwords, monitoring for unusual network traffic and changing the default ports used by their remote access.

Businesses that believe they might have been affected by Backoff Malware should contact their PoS providers, anti-virus vendors and IT service partners and ask for an assessment of any compromises or vulnerabilities. Companies should also contact their local Secret Service field office to report any possible incidents.

Retrieved from: Cio-Today