How I got a Root Shell on a Credit Card Terminal

Re:How I got a Root Shell on a Credit Card Terminal by reaperducer on Sunday June 01, 2025 @12:45PM (#44152168)

I'd be more worried about someone compromising a card reader in the field and reading cached/stored real CC details, or installing some kind of intercepting malware.

That's happened at least several times already.

I believe breached PoS terminals were what happened in the big Target hack.

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Re:How I got a Root Shell on a Credit Card Terminal by lelanthran on Sunday June 01, 2025 @03:03PM (#44153045)

> I believe breached PoS terminals were what happened in the big Target hack.

The problem is that PoS terminals are not EMV terminals. EMV terminals have been through a certification process, and the hardware part of that certification ensures that the vendor only runs signed-binaries.

Honestly, even if you could write and sideload (or even replace) the applications on the EMV terminal, I do not see a way to get them to a) run, and then b) send money elsewhere.

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