MUMBAI,INDIA: McAfee has announced that McAfee Virus Scan  Enterprise 8.5i now supports the Windows XP Embedded operating system. By expanding its  anti-malware protection to Windows XPE, companies can now manage security on point-of-sale terminals, including airline kiosks and ATMs, using McAfee's  ePolicy Orchestrator security management software.

"Many of our larger customers including financial institutions, major retail, and airlines have requested support for this platform," said Rees Johnson, vice president of product management for McAfee. "A more secure retail location enables easier and safer connectivity with customers. McAfee VirusScan Enterprise protects these retail sites from viruses, malware, and theft of customer information."

As more companies with remote kiosks, point-of-sale terminals and ATMs move away from proprietary operating platforms to the Windows XPE platform, their exposure to the many threats that affect the Windows platform increase greatly. Point-of-sale systems are critical to most business processes, and organizations must protect customer information so they can increase revenues, accelerate transactions, enhance services, and comply with regulatory requirements.

"Many companies underestimate the security risks associated with embedded operating systems," said Brian Burke, analyst for security products and services at IDC. "Businesses must take a serious look at all of their endpoints, and think of them as potential entry points for malicious code."