The document discusses the importance of cybersecurity for retailers, emphasizing the need to protect sensitive customer information from various cyber threats such as malware, ransomware, phishing, and DDoS attacks. Retailers must implement multiple layers of security, prioritize IT investments, choose reliable cloud providers, hire cybersecurity professionals, and educate both employees and customers. As cyberattacks increasingly target the retail industry, effective strategies and preventive measures are essential to safeguard business operations and maintain customer trust.

1. CYBERSECURITY- WHAT
RETAILERS NEED TO
KNOW

2. Cybersecurity is the protection of internet-
connected systems (hardware as well as software)
from cyberattacks like ransomware, malware, DDoS,
and more.
These cyberattacks usually intend to access,
change, or destroy critical information, extortion of
money, or interrupting the normal business flow.
A cybersecurity approach aims at protecting the
businesses from cyberattacks by deploying multiple
layers of protection like firewalls, antivirus, two-
factor authentications, etc.
What is Cybersecurity?

3. Retailers invest in new technologies to manage their
business and enhance customer experience. This leads
to a rise in the security issues related to these
technologies.
The retail industry deals with a large volume of data
related to cash, card information, and POS transactions
regularly. Thus, to ensure the security of collected data,
retailers must have a strategy to secure their networks
and infrastructure at all times.
19%
According to KPMG study,
Customers would stop shopping at a
retailer over a hack.
50%
According to THALES data threat report,
of retail businesses have been breached
within the past year.
Cybersecurity in Retail

4. Some Common Security Threats
Human Factors
Every employee is not
reliable, or highly-skilled to
keep them away from getting
stuck in these cyber-attacks.
POS Security Vulnerabilities
A lot of transactions are made
every day using the POS
terminal, making it a gold
mine for hackers to get the
customer's information.
Mobile Devices Security
Mobile phones being widely
used for shopping online can
be a host to dangerous
malware, making it a threat to
them.

5. The future of business depends on the cybersecurity
measures implemented in the organization.
Let's check out the types of cyber-threats from which retail
businesses need to be protected.

6. Malware is malicious software specifically designed to
gain access to or damage a computer without the
knowledge of the owner.
$2.4 million was the average cost of a malware attack in
2017. - Accenture
38% of malicious files came in the formats used by the
MS-office suite of products. - CISCO
MALWARE1.

7. RANSOMWARE
Ransomware is a type of malware that locks down or encrypts
the devices on the network to prevent someone from using it,
unless the ransom is paid.
$10 billion will be the damage cost of ransomware in 2019.
- Cyber Defense Magazine
A business falls victim to a ransomware attack every 13.275
seconds. - Cyber Defense Magazine
2.

8. PHISHING
Phishing is a type of cyber-crime where criminals try to
obtain sensitive information like usernames, passwords,
and credit card details using the disguised image of a
trustworthy entity.
Nearly 1 in 5 email users will encounter a phishing attack
email. - SecureList
Recipients open 70% of the phishing attempt emails they
receive. - FireEye
3.

9. DDOS
DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) is a type of attack
in which multiple sources target a website or web
server and send numerous network communication
requests, causing the target to crash or slow down.
DDoS attacks account for 5% of monthly traffic
related to gaming websites or apps. - Cox Blue
Hackers in China launch the maximum number of
DDoS attacks, followed by the US and Russia. -
Comparitech
4.

10. What Retailers Can Do?
43% of the cyberattacks are targeted at small
businesses, according to Small Business Trends.
Retailers need to take steps to update policies and
procedures as well as implement new IT security
solutions.
Let's see some of the proactive measures that retail
businesses can take to ensure safety for
themselves as well as the customers.

11. PRIORITIZE 'IT'
SECURITY
Investing more in IT security infrastructure and
technologies like encryption and firewalls is important
to protect the critical business and customer data.
Adhering to advanced technologies will enable
businesses to identify any intrusion or malicious
activity. Constant monitoring and analysis will give you
a proactive approach to counter the cyberattacks.
1.

12. 2. CHOOSE THE RIGHT
CLOUD HOSTING PROVIDER
The cloud hosting provider for your POS applications and
data plays a vital part in securing your critical data. Hence,
you should choose the one with advanced safety measures.
A right cloud service provider offers advanced security
features like data centers at different locations with daily
data backups, disaster recovery, always-on support, and
many more.

13. 3. HIRE CYBERSECURITY
PROFESSIONALS
There is nothing better than hiring cybersecurity
professionals who are trained in finding loose ends in
networks, databases, firewalls, and encryption to
prevent cyber-attackers from harming your business.
A cybersecurity specialist can take various roles like a
chief information security officer, security engineer, and
security auditor, and can clean up after cyberattacks
additionally.

14. 4. EDUCATE EMPLOYEES
AND CUSTOMERS
People connected to retail businesses are often the weaker
link in the security chain as they have no or very less
knowledge about data security. The best practice is to
educate both customers and employees in terms of
business security and personal data security.
You can host various training programs or can send
educational emails about cybersecurity and preventive
measures. Also, you can inform them about secure login
access methods and strong passwords.

15. Is Your Business Safe From
Cyberattacks?
Learn More

16. Ace Cloud Hosting, powered by Real Time Cloud
Services LLC (RTCS), is an Intuit authorized commercial
hosting provider for QuickBooks POS to retail
businesses.
We provide cloud solutions for on
superfast SSD-based servers with 99.999% uptime,
100 days data backup, and always-on support.
For more info, visit:
or Call us at: 1-855-ACE-IT-UP
www.acecloudhosting.com
ABOUT US
Retail Industry

17. References
Top cyber threats for retailers in 2018
- Retaik Leader
Top 10 FAQs You Should Know About Ransomware
- Ace Cloud Hosting
PHISHING ATTACK STATISTICS 2019
COST OF CYBERCRIME STUDY
Best Defense Against Spear Phishing
- Accenture
- FireEye
- Merchant fraud Journal

18. References
Global Ransomware Damage Costs Predicted To Exceed $8 Billion In 2018
CISCO 2018- Annual Cybersecurity Report
12 DDoS Statistics That Should Concern Business Leaders
DDoS attack statistics and facts for 2018-2019
- CyberCrime Magzine
- Cisco
- CompariTech
- Cox Blue