Point of sale (POS) personal identification number (PIN) security

A computer processor implemented method comprising:

• putting, by the processor, a personal identification number (PIN) into a PIN block;
• generating additional random data;
• putting, by the processor, the additional random data into the PIN block;
• encrypting, by the processor, the entire PIN block including the PIN and the additional random data using asymmetric cryptography, wherein:
• encrypting the PIN block uses a public key in a memory of the processor;
• decrypting the PIN block to retrieve the PIN uses a private key, not accessible from the processor, corresponding to the public key;
• and
• the encrypted additional random data defends the encrypted PIN block against dictionary attacks.

A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium having computer readable and executable code for instructing a processor to perform a method, the method comprising:

• putting a personal identification number (PIN) into a PIN block;
• generating additional random data;
• putting the additional random data into the PIN block;
• encrypting the entire PIN block including the PIN and the additional random data using asymmetric cryptography, wherein:
• encrypting the PIN block uses a public key stored in a memory of the processor;
• decrypting the PIN block to retrieve the PIN uses a private key, not accessible from the processor, corresponding to the public key;
• and
• the encrypted additional random data defends the encrypted PIN block against dictionary attacks.