Can I PIC this card-reader application?

[SkeeterHawk]

Hello everyone. I must say that I appreciate the level of expertise that we have on this forum. For this reason, I would like "the group's" input on the concept stage of this project.

I have a product using a PIC18F87K90 that is out in the field and it is doing great. My customer is wanting to change the clientele for this product to where it will accept credit cards and be suited for consumer use (It is currently a stand-alone unit administered by professionals under a controlled atmosphere).

My most fundamental question is if you think that I can pull this off with the PIC? I would prefer this level of control, since it can't be hacked and so forth. I am concerned about the security and so forth surrounding financial transactions like this, and if I can just connect to the house Wi-Fi using a Web Lynx and go.

I assume that if I can't do it this way, that I will have to out-source the programming to use an ARM or something and just run Linux or something.

I apologize that I am not too well versed in the crossover between the 8-bit domain and the rest of the 32/64-bit world. I am not to far out of programming in Assembly, but have been very pleased with the CCS compiler. I hope that this is something that I will be able to pull off myself. Thanks so much for your input.
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Life is too short to only write code in assembly...