Report: Business-targeted cyber attacks on the rise

NEW YORK — Symantec has recently reported that three out of five cyber attacks target small and medium-sized businesses, favoring point-of-sale systems at brick and mortar stores.

But 94% of these attacks, which seek merchant and customer information, are preventable, according to Visa. Most cyber attacks involve low to moderate hacking ability, targeting weak passwords or remote access portals that are left open, the company said.

“If a merchant is using a company that is QIR- [qualified integrator reseller] certified, they can be much more confident that their point-of-sale network is properly secured,” Eduardo Perez, head of Global Payments System Security for Visa, said. “More integrator vendors need to get the certification, and more merchants should use them.”