Category Archives: Windows 10 kiosk

Kiosk Software, Member, picks, Windows 10 kiosk

Kiosk Software – KioWare for Windows Release 8.12 New Devices

KioWare Kiosk Software Analytical Design Solutions Inc. (ADSI) has released a new version of KioWare for Windows, with a large number of new devices and customer requested features.

Check out the full press release here.

Version 8.12 of KioWare for Windows (Lite, Basic, & Full with Server) has added new toolbar controls, support for time-limited sessions, Hot Virtual Keyboard support, and support for Chromium 62. KioWare Basic for Windows has added a support for Puloon Bill Dispensers, Custom KPM printers, an Elatec proximity reader, and more. KioWare Full has added support to send device serial numbers to KioWare Server/KioCloud.

Some particularly relevant new features (in addition to the supported devices):

  • Ability to limit session time/set max session times.
  • Toolbar buttons added for session time limits, date, time, connection types.
  • Support for Hot Virtual Keyboards
  • Chromium 62 support
KioWare has a large list of other new features and you can view them all (plus all of the new devices) in the version history.  KioWare has upgraded to the latest version of Chip DNA as well, so support for all of the supported Chip DNA devices are also included in the new version if used with Chip DNA and supported processors (for EMV compliance).
Kiosk Mode, Kiosk Monitoring, Kiosk Software, Member, picks, security, Windows 10 kiosk

PC Security Advice & Resources

PC Security for Kiosks is a big deal for sure.

Hacks into PCs bring to mind words like “Payload”.  We manage this website and just the security threats to your basic WordPress website is unprecedented.

A few days ago a new “Attack Platform” showed up for WordPress.

The first inclination is to shrug it off a bit and point out we speak of a website, yet many kiosks are running content and are connected to that very infrastructure. Thus they are at risk.

There are a couple of “goes without saying” precautions that should be considered:

  • Use a lockdown. There are several from KioWare, PROVISIO, KioskSimple, TIPS and KIOSK Core.  These all “lock down” the common entry points like when the OS boots up, where the browser goes, and at what privilege level a user has available (and it won’t be root or admin).
  • Use a secure OS.  Powering off a machine and back up is a critical juncture.  Are there USB ports exposed, and which are enabled?  Windows Embedded, POSReady and other windows iterations are designed for this industrial type use (also known as unattended).
  • Physical access to the machine and PC needs to be controlled.
  • “Tweaking” windows with assigned access and policies is fine but it usually takes multiple tries to finally lock down some of what the lockdowns lock down.
  • Windows Patch management (or Linux) — how are you going to implement that remotely and unattended?
  • How do you manage all those terminals.
  • What about the backoffice?  Many “breaches” are into the datastores that the kiosks are building/using back in the office. Security begins at home…
  • Do you have contractors logging into your network?  Take some advice from Target. Eliminate it or force them to log in only on secured terminals, not cheap PCs running freeware Malware protection (which doesn’t always update).

That’s some quick advice.

Here are some interesting and useful whitepapers out there.

 

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Tablets, Windows 10 kiosk

TGI Fridays partners with Microsoft on tablets to streamline orders, improve customers’ visits

TGI Fridays has completed a six-city pilot in Texas and Minnesota, and it will deploy the tablets in 80 additional restaurants, with more than 2,000 tablets by March

Source: news.microsoft.com

The devices use Windows 8.1, running Oracle’s MICROS Restaurant Enterprise Solution (RES) 5.4 on Oracle’s MICROS mTablet E-Series mobile point of sale devices. 
Android, Apple, Kiosk Newsbits, Tablets, Windows 10 kiosk

Kiosk Remote Monitoring Update

Updated tutorial and resources: Kiosk Remote monitoring software comes in many configurations. Alerts, remote access, PC diags, activity, reports customized or not. Very strong systems.  Here are some considerations: 

  • Heartbeat (is it up or down?)
  • Statistics on usage
  • Custom reports
  • Configuration of behaviour
  • Reconfiguration
  • Remote access client
  • Patch management
  • Batch updates
  • Batch enrollments
  • 3G or 4G redundancy
  • Backups (now you need security)
  • Remote power cycle
  • Physical access to machine internally
  • Cash or currency involved?

Source: kioskindustry.org
Windows 10 kiosk

Windows 10 Kiosk coming – install on 7-Year-Old Acer Aspire One: Flawless Performance

Acer Notebook for Windows 10

basically, Windows 10 makes the 7-year-old netbook work better than on Windows XP, which was clearly an operating system whose system requirements made it a bit more appropriate for such old hardware.

Source: news.softpedia.com

Here it comes…One last shot by Microsoft. They are due for a success. Hopefully it comes with relaxed (and cheaper) licensing.

Windows 10 Kiosk won’t be far behind.