Detecting RF transmission from an implanted device in a POS terminal
Various embodiments are configured to detect a foreign object that has been implanted into or onto a device, such as a secure POS terminal. The implanted object can be a device that is designed to skim data (such as account information from a transaction card or other transaction device) and transmit the skimmed data to a nearby receiver using an RF transmission, such as Bluetooth or WIFI. The RF transmission can be detected by a RF detector in the POS terminal, the detected signal is converted to a voltage signal, and is input to the ADC port of a microprocessor where it is subsequently analyzed to determine if the RF transmission is from a foreign object. The POS terminal may forward collected data on the RF transmission to a cloud/backend server. Further analysis may occur at the cloud/backend server.
1. A radio frequency (RF) detection system, comprising:
an integrated antenna tuned to a predetermined frequency;
a RF detector communicatively coupled to the antenna and configured to process a signal from the antenna, the RF detector being further communicatively coupled to an analog to digital convertor (ADC) port of a processor, wherein the antenna signal is converted to a voltage output for input to the ADC port upon a RF strength detection threshold being met wherein the voltage output is linearly related to a signal strength of the signal; and
the processor being configured to process the input from the RF detector and determine if the input exceeds a predetermined voltage limit;
wherein upon the input exceeding the predetermined voltage limit, the processor records an event count; and
when a number of event counts within a predetermined time meets or surpasses an event count threshold, the RF detection system is configured to indicate that a potential skimming device is present and is transmitting on the predetermined frequency.
2. The RF detection system of claim 1 , wherein the antenna is tuned in the range of 2.4 GHz to 2.5 GHz.
3. The RF detection system of claim 1 , wherein the RF detection system is integrated into a POS terminal.
4. The RF detection system of claim 3 , further comprising:
the processor being further configured to analyze the input and correlate the increase in voltage with one or more of transaction events conducted by the POS terminal, a fixed interval, and an irregular interval.
5. The RF detection system of claim 1 , wherein the antenna is mounted on a printed circuit board assembly.
6. The RF detection system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a connection to a remote server, the connection being configured to transmit data from the RF detector to the remote server.
7. The RF detection system of claim 6 , wherein the remote server determines if the potential skimming device is a skimming device.
8. The RF detection system of claim 1 , further comprising:
an amplifier and filter circuit for processing the signal from the antenna.
9. The RF detection system of claim 1 , wherein the RF strength detection threshold and event count threshold are configurable.
10. The RF detection system of claim 1 , further comprising:
following processing of the input by the processor, determining, by the processor, that at least one of the RF strength detection threshold and the event count threshold require adjustment.
11. A method for detecting radio frequency (RF) transmissions, comprising:
detecting a RF transmission by a RF detector, comprising an antenna;
transmitting data, in the form of a voltage output, from the RF transmission detection to a processor upon the RF transmission meeting a RF strength detection threshold, wherein the voltage output is linearly related to a signal strength of the RF transmission and the voltage output becomes voltage input to the processor;
applying an algorithm, by the processor, to determine if the RF transmission is from a foreign device based on a pattern of the RF transmission meeting an event count threshold wherein an event occurs when a number of the voltage input within a predetermined time period exceeds a predetermined limit;
recording, by the processor, an event count upon the voltage input exceeding the predetermined voltage limit; and
upon a successful determination of the RF transmission being from the foreign device based on a number of event counts within the predetermined time period meeting or surpassing the event count threshold, indicating that a potential skimming device is present and transmitting on the predetermined frequency, transmitting an alert to a remote server.
12. The method for detecting RF transmissions of claim 11 , wherein the antenna is tuned in the range of 2.4 GHz to 2.5 GHz.
13. The method for detecting RF transmissions of claim 11 , wherein the processor is part of a POS terminal.
14. The method for detecting RF transmissions of claim 13 , further comprising:
correlating, by the processor, the increase in voltage with one or more of transaction events conducted by the POS terminal, a fixed interval, and an irregular interval.
15. The method for detecting RF transmissions of claim 11 , further comprising:
configuring at least one of the RF strength detection threshold of the RF detector and the event count threshold of the processor.
16. The method for detecting RF transmissions of claim 15 , further comprising:
configuring at least one of the RF strength detection threshold and the event count threshold following the processing of the voltage input.
17. The method for detecting RF transmissions of claim 11 , wherein the remote server determines whether the foreign device is a skimming device.