ATM and POS Security Audit: Protecting Every Payment Channel from Terminal to Switch
Specialized payment-channel security assessment covering ATMs, POS terminals, CDMs, kiosks, microATMs, NFC tap-to-pay, payment middleware, and switch integration — anchored in RBI ATM security guidance, EMV standards, and PCI DSS v4.0.
Trusted by India's leading enterprises
Assess
We inventory your payment terminals, map cardholder data flows, review network segmentation, and test terminal hardening, application logic, switch security, and key management against RBI, EMV, and PCI DSS v4.0 requirements.
Remediate
You receive a prioritized remediation roadmap with risk-rated findings, assigned owners, and target closure dates. Our team provides practical guidance to close gaps across terminal configuration, middleware, network, and process controls.
Validate and Certify
We revalidate fixes, confirm closure of open findings, and deliver the final audit report with regulatory and PCI mapping — ready for submission to your acquirer, bank, regulator, or internal audit committee.
What Is an ATM and POS Security Audit?
An ATM and POS security audit is a specialized assessment of payment terminal infrastructure, including physical devices, transaction applications, cardholder data flows, network segmentation, key management, and switch integration. It validates that payment channels comply with RBI ATM security guidance, EMV chip-and-PIN standards, and PCI DSS v4.0 requirements to protect account data at every point of interaction.
Who Needs an ATM and POS Security Audit?
If you operate, manage, or connect to payment terminals, your infrastructure falls within scope.
Banks and ATM Switch Operators
ATM switch, HSM and key management, EMV enablement, network segmentation, physical ATM controls, EJ and log handling, reconciliation, vendor remote access.
White-Label ATM Operators
Terminal hardening, site controls, sponsor and acquirer connectivity, switch security, cash-handling workflows, monitoring, and RBI ATM security controls.
Retail Merchants and Chains
Store POS configuration, payment app, acquirer integration, network segmentation, cardholder data environment, settlement and refund flows, PCI alignment.
Acquirers and Payment Processors
Merchant onboarding controls, POS estate risk, acquiring switch, payment gateway integration, transaction monitoring, fraud rules, dispute flows, PCI and EMV mapping.
MicroATM and Aadhaar-Enabled Payment Providers
MicroATM hardening, biometric, NFC, and BLE interactions, Aadhaar-related data handling, device certification, BC and agent controls, transaction replay and tamper risks.
CDM and Kiosk Operators
Cash deposit logic, account validation, reconciliation, kiosk escape, device hardening, physical tamper, printer and scanner abuse, malware persistence, remote support.
NFC and Mobile Tap-to-Pay Providers
NFC relay, replay, tokenization, device binding, tap-to-pay flow abuse, mobile app security, POS kernel behavior, transaction downgrade, failure-state handling.
Terminal and Middleware Vendors
Terminal management system, remote updates, firmware, API and middleware integration, key injection process, support access, logs, deployment hardening.
Methodology
8 steps. Zero guesswork.
Every engagement follows this process through Lemon, our proprietary audit management platform.
Scoping and Asset Inventory
We document the complete payment terminal estate — ATMs, POS devices, CDMs, kiosks, microATMs, NFC endpoints, middleware, and switch connectivity. Terminal sample selection follows a risk-based approach covering device types, locations, and transaction volumes.
Cardholder Data Flow Mapping
We trace cardholder data from the point of interaction through middleware, switch, acquirer, issuer, processor, and settlement. This includes PAN, BIN, track data, PIN block, EMV data, tokens, logs, receipts, and storage at every hop.
Terminal Hardening and Physical Security Review
We assess OS hardening, kiosk mode enforcement, USB and peripheral restrictions, patching, local user accounts, admin access, remote management, application whitelisting, logging, and physical anti-tamper controls per RBI and PCI requirements.
Network Segmentation and Architecture Review
We validate segmentation of ATM and POS networks from branch and store networks, management VLANs, payment switch connectivity, vendor support paths, and internet-facing exposure. Firewall rules are reviewed against intended policy.
Payment Application and Transaction Logic Testing
We test POS and payment application business logic including transaction manipulation, refund and void flow abuse, offline transaction handling, tamper detection, authorization bypass, and failure-state behavior using both manual testing and B-52 engine validation.
Key Management and HSM Review
We review key ceremony procedures, key injection, PIN translation, PIN block handling, TR-31 and TR-34 compliance where applicable, dual control, split knowledge, key rotation schedules, and HSM configuration and access controls.
Switch and Middleware Security Assessment
Where in scope, we assess ATM switch security, payment middleware integration, admin interfaces, API endpoints, merchant portals, and terminal management systems for configuration, access control, and vulnerability exposure.
Regulatory and PCI Mapping, Reporting, and Closure
Findings are mapped to PCI DSS v4.0, EMV standards, and RBI ATM security guidance. The final report includes proof-of-concept evidence, risk ratings, remediation roadmap, and revalidation after fixes.
"Security Brigade's structured approach through Lemon gave us complete visibility into the testing process. The three-layer review caught issues that our previous vendor missed entirely. Their reports were the first our developers could actually act on without a follow-up call."
The Platform
Powered by Lemon
Most firms rely on individual tester skill. We built a platform that makes quality structural — informed by 6,700+ previous assessments.
Lemon Audit Platform
Lemon orchestrates the entire audit lifecycle — scoping, task assignment, evidence collection, finding documentation, remediation tracking, revalidation, and final report generation. Every artifact is centrally managed with complete traceability.
B-52 AI-Powered Audit Engine
B-52 tests POS applications, APIs, admin panels, merchant portals, and payment workflows with business-logic-aware analysis. It validates that findings are exploitable before reporting, eliminating false positives.
ShadowMap External Monitoring
ShadowMap discovers internet-facing payment assets, exposed terminal management interfaces, leaked credentials, and shadow infrastructure — providing the external attacker view of your payment environment before the audit begins.
Compliance-Ready
Audit-ready reporting for every framework
As a CERT-In empanelled firm, our reports are accepted by all major Indian and global regulators.
Industries
700+ clients across verticals
Every type of application architecture and business logic pattern — tested.
Deliverables
What you get
Reports for two audiences — executives who need the risk picture, and developers who need to fix the issues. With code-level guidance, not vague advice.
ATM/POS Security Assessment Report
Complete technical findings report with proof-of-concept evidence, impact assessment, risk rating, and step-by-step remediation guidance for every finding.
Executive Summary
Board and audit-committee-ready summary covering overall security posture, critical risks, compliance status, and strategic recommendations for CISO, CTO, and business leadership.
Cardholder Data Flow Diagram
Complete payment transaction and cardholder data flow mapping from terminal through middleware, switch, acquirer, issuer, processor, and settlement with storage and transmission points.
Network Segmentation Review Summary
Validation results for ATM and POS network segmentation, branch and store network isolation, management VLAN controls, vendor support paths, and internet exposure.
PCI DSS, EMV, and RBI Control Mapping
Every finding mapped to PCI DSS v4.0 requirements, EMV standards, and RBI ATM security guidance in a consolidated matrix for compliance and audit consumption.
Terminal Sample Inventory and Tested Matrix
Documentation of terminal sample selection rationale, tested device inventory, device types, locations, and transaction volumes covered during the assessment.
HSM and Key Management Observation Summary
Where in scope, detailed observations on key ceremony procedures, injection, PIN translation, dual control, split knowledge, rotation schedules, and HSM configuration.
Remediation Tracker
Prioritized remediation tracker with assigned owners, severity ratings, target closure dates, and closure status — managed through Lemon for real-time progress visibility.
Revalidation Report
Post-remediation revalidation confirming closure of findings and updated compliance status, ready for submission to acquirer, bank, or regulator.
Attestation Letter
Optional certificate or attestation letter when required by your acquirer, bank, regulator, or internal audit function as evidence of completed assessment.
Continuous Compliance with ShadowMap
The audit gives you a snapshot. ShadowMap gives you the always-on view.
An annual audit proves your posture at a single point in time. Between audits, attack surfaces drift, credentials leak, sub-domains get added, vendors get breached. ShadowMap watches the boundary continuously so the next audit isn't a surprise.
Threat Intelligence
468+ threat actor profiles, CVE tracking against your stack, IOC monitoring, and geographic threat analysis.
Know which threats are coming for you specifically.
Explore on ShadowMapBrand Protection
Detects phishing domains, fake mobile apps, social media impersonation, and domain squatting — with SLA-backed takedowns.
Stop impersonation before customers fall for it.
Explore on ShadowMapWhat is the difference between an ATM security audit and a generic VAPT?
Who is required to conduct an ATM and POS security audit in India?
Does the audit cover microATMs, NFC tap-to-pay, and kiosks?
How long does an ATM and POS security audit take?
How is PCI DSS v4.0 addressed in this audit?
What RBI requirements does this audit address?
Is CERT-In empanelment required for ATM and POS audits?
Will the audit disrupt live ATM or POS transactions?
Does the audit include key management and HSM review?
How does Security Brigade differ from other firms offering ATM POS audits?
Secure Your Payment Terminals Before Your Next Audit Deadline
Talk to our payment security specialists about your ATM, POS, or payment terminal audit requirements.
Typically responds within 1 business day · No commitment required