Terminal theft protection process, and corresponding system, terminal and computer program

1. A process for protection against theft of electronic payment terminals utilized in a group comprising more than two electronic payment terminals organized as a network, wherein the process includes the following steps:

transmitting, by a first of said electronic payment terminals, at least one first request to check on the presence of at least one other terminal of said group, called a terminal to be detected, to said terminal to be detected;

waiting for at least one response to said first request, from said terminal to be detected;

broadcasting, to all the other terminals of said group, an alert of a potential detected absence of said terminal to be detected if there is no response or an invalid response by said terminal to be detected;

verifying the absence of said terminal to be detected, by each of said terminals that received said alert of absence, by transmitting to the terminal to be detected at least one second request to check on the presence of said terminal to be detected;

waiting for at least one response to the second request from said terminal to be detected; and

transmitting, by each of said terminals that transmitted said second request:

information confirming the absence of said terminal to be detected, if there is no response or an invalid response to the second request the terminal to be detected; or

alert cancellation information if the terminal to be detected provides a valid response, providing validated information on the absence of said terminal to be detected when no cancellation information has been received.

2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the process includes a step of transmitting said validated information on the absence of said terminal to be detected to at least one entity managing said terminals of said group.

3. The process according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of said requests, said responses or said information include at least one information item for identifying said terminal to be detected.

4. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the process includes, prior to transmitting said first request, a step of associating at least one terminal to be detected with each of said terminals of said network.

5. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the process includes, prior to transmitting said first request, the following sub-steps:

receiving all of the messages transmitted by each of the terminals of said group;

updating a presence list based on the messages received.

6. The process according to claim 5 , wherein said step of transmitting said first request is implemented on the basis of an analysis of said presence list.

7. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the process includes a step of self-detection of theft of one of said terminals of said network, called an isolated terminal, when that terminal does not receive any message from the other terminals of said group.

8. The process according to claim 7 , wherein said step of self-detection includes a step of performing at least one of protecting or suppressing data from said isolated terminal.

9. The process according to claim 7 , wherein said self-detection step includes a step of transmitting an alarm message to at least one of each of said terminals of said group or a group management entity.

10. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the process includes a step of transmitting a warning message by a defective terminal, so as to avoid generation of unnecessary alarms.

11. A system for protection against theft of electronic payment terminals utilized in a group including more than two electronic payment terminals organized as a network, wherein the system includes:

means for transmitting, by a first of said electronic payment terminals, at least one first request to check on the presence of at least one other terminal of said group, called a terminal to be detected, to said terminal to be detected;

means for waiting for at least one response to said first request, from said terminal to be detected;

means for broadcasting, to all the other terminals of said group, an alert of a potential detected absence of said terminal to be detected if there is no response or an invalid response by said terminal to be detected;

means for verifying the absence of said terminal to be detected, by each of said terminals that received said alert of absence, by transmitting to the terminal to be detected at least one second request to check on the presence of said terminal to be detected;

means for waiting for at least one response to the second request from said terminal to be detected; and

means for transmitting, by each of said terminals that transmitted said second request:

information confirming the absence of said terminal to be detected, if there is no response or an invalid response to the second request the terminal to be detected; or

alert cancellation information if the terminal to be detected provides a valid response, providing validated information on the absence of said terminal to be detected when no cancellation information has been received.

12. An electronic payment terminal intended to be utilized in a group including more than two electronic payment terminals organized as a network, wherein the terminal includes:

means for transmitting at least one first request to check on the presence of at least one other terminal of said group, called a terminal to be detected, to said terminal to be detected;

means for waiting for at least one response to said first request, from said terminal to be detected;

means for broadcasting, to all the other terminals of said group, an alert of a potential detected absence of said terminal to be detected if there is no response or an invalid response by said terminal to be detected; and

means for receiving from said terminals that received said first request:

information confirming the absence of said terminal to be detected; or

alert cancellation information.

13. The electronic payment terminal according to claim 12 , wherein the terminal includes means for self-detection of theft when the terminal does not receive any message from the other terminals of said group.

14. A computer program stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium and including program code instructions, which, when run by a processor, perform a process for protection against theft of electronic payment terminals utilized in a group comprising more than two electronic payment terminals organized as a network, wherein the process includes the following steps:

transmitting at least one first request to check on the presence of at least one other terminal of said group, called a terminal to be detected, to said terminal to be detected;

waiting for at least one response to said first request, from said terminal to be detected;

broadcasting, to all the other terminals of said group, an alert of a potential detected absence of said terminal to be detected if there is no response or an invalid response by said terminal to be detected; and

receiving from said terminals that received said first request:

information confirming the absence of said terminal to be detected; or

alert cancellation information.