Tamper resistant device
Aspects of the technology provide systems, devices and methods for filling design voids within an assembled electronic device with tamper solids in order to prevent and/or detect a tampering with the electronic device to gain unauthorized access to the electronic device to steal information.
1. A POS device comprising:
a terminal; and
a payment object reader coupled to the terminal and configured to receive payment information from a payment object for processing of a transaction between a merchant and a customer, the payment object reader having at least one design void and comprising:
a tamper detection circuit configured to fit within the at least one design void to prevent physical installation of unauthorized objects within the at least one design void; and
a controller configured to communicate with the tamper detection circuit to detect a tampering event based on a change of state in the tamper detection circuit.
2. The POS device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one design void is between a printed circuit board of the payment object reader and a housing of the payment object reader.
3. The POS device of claim 1 , wherein the tamper detection circuit does not interfere with operation of the payment object reader for receiving and processing the payment information.
4. The POS device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to detect the tampering event by scanning the payment object reader.
5. The POS device of claim 4 , wherein the scanning includes measuring a voltage across the tamper detection circuit.
6. The POS device of claim 4 , wherein the scanning includes measuring a resistance across the tamper detection circuit.
7. The POS device of claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to detect the tampering event by comparing the resistance measured to a threshold.
8. The POS device of claim 4 , wherein the scanning includes measuring a capacitance across one or more capacitors of the tamper detection circuit.
9. A payment object reader configured to receive payment information from a payment object for processing of a transaction between a merchant and a customer, the payment object reader having at least one design void and comprising:
a tamper detection circuit configured to fill the at least one design void to prevent physical installation of unauthorized objects within the at least one design void; and
a controller configured to communicate with the tamper detection circuit to detect a tampering event based on a change of state in the tamper detection circuit.
10. The payment object reader of claim 9 , wherein the at least one design void is between a printed circuit board of the payment object reader and a housing of the payment object reader.
11. The payment object reader of claim 9 , wherein the tamper detection circuit does not interfere with operation of the payment object reader for receiving and processing the payment information.
12. The payment object reader of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to detect the tampering event by scanning the payment object reader.
13. The payment object reader of claim 12 , wherein the scanning includes measuring a voltage across the tamper detection circuit.
14. The payment object reader of claim 12 , wherein the scanning includes measuring a resistance across the tamper detection circuit.
15. The payment object reader of claim 12 , wherein the scanning includes measuring a capacitance across one or more capacitors of the tamper detection circuit.
16. A point of sale system comprising:
the payment object reader of claim 9 ; and
a terminal communicatively coupled to the payment object reader.