Retailers need to brace for cyber threats during upcoming shopping season
Article by: Mimecast
Article by Ralph Berndt, Sales and Marketing Director at inq. South Africa
With many small retail businesses preparing for the Black Friday and festive season shopping rush, mitigating against cyber threats is more important than ever. Here are several tips for these companies to stay competitive while securing their environments during this crucial period.
Keep on adapting
Adapting to seasonal demand
The upcoming shopping season presents enormous growth opportunities for small retail businesses, especially when it comes to online shopping events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday. However, this spike in activity comes with increased exposure to cyber risks. More than ever, South African companies are ripe targets for cybercriminals using increasingly advanced tools to propagate attacks. From phishing, ransomware, and business email compromise to artificial intelligence-driven threats, safeguarding data and online systems will be critical.
Small businesses must adapt by ensuring their digital storefronts and customer communication channels are secure. This not only protects sensitive customer data but also builds trust which is essential for the online shopping journey. A key strategy is to educate employees and customers about common threats and incorporate more resilient defences against attacks.
Strong customer relationships driven by trust and security
Of course, no online store can succeed if there is no customer trust. Consumers are more cautious than ever about online scams. As such, they are very critical of sites that do not value data privacy. One of the easiest ways to enhance customer loyalty is by ensuring they feel safe making purchases or sharing information with the business. Considering that a large portion of cyberattacks are aimed at compromising customer data, any retailer that struggles to maintain security will suffer from potentially lasting reputational damage and significant financial penalties.
Strong cybersecurity measures are the backbone of customer trust. From secure email practices to multi-factor authentication for online transactions, small businesses that prioritise security foster deeper, longer-lasting relationships with their customers. Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and other high-traffic shopping days offer opportunities not only for sales but also for reinforcing customer confidence through transparent and secure interactions.
Improving domain security
For online retailers, domain security plays a crucial role in securing operations. Many cyberattacks, such as domain spoofing and DNS hijacking, target the domain itself. This can result in hackers redirecting customers to malicious web sites or being able to compromise sensitive data.
Organisations must therefore consider domain hardening. This will ensure that their domain is secured through protective measures such as DNSSEC (Domain Name System Security Extensions) and DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance). These steps can help prevent attackers from spoofing an online retailer’s domain or using it to execute phishing attacks
Technology for security
Small businesses often have tight budgets, but investing in the right cybersecurity technology is crucial. During the upcoming shopping season, retailers are heavily reliant on cloud-based platforms for e-commerce, customer service, and marketing. However, cloud-based email systems can also serve as a major entry point for cyber threats if left unprotected.
This is where integrating solutions, such as those from Mimecast, that offer protection against email-based attacks is vital. Small businesses should explore scalable security solutions that monitor email for suspicious activity and protect against phishing attempts. Additionally, educating employees about cybersecurity best practices like avoiding suspicious links and verifying sender identities can reduce any potential vulnerabilities.
A time to be cyber-aware
The number of financial phishing attacks is expected to rise during the festive shopping season which starts unofficially on Black Friday and is the perfect time for small businesses to evaluate their current cybersecurity posture. With threats evolving, small businesses are often seen as easier targets due to their perceived lack of comprehensive security measures. This provides an ideal opportunity to raise awareness among staff and customers, implementing new security measures before the festive shopping rush begins.
Simple steps like encouraging password hygiene, using encryption for sensitive data, and conducting regular security audits can make a significant difference. A focus on cyber hygiene helps ensure that small businesses are well-prepared to handle the influx of activity during Black Friday and beyond.
Security as a foundation for business growth
For local retailers looking to benefit from the upcoming peak shopping days, success is about more than just offering great deals. It comes down to ensuring that operations are secure, customer data is protected, and internal security teams are prepared for the challenges ahead.
Cybersecurity is something that can never be ‘set and forgotten.’ It requires companies to evolve with the changing market requirements and implement solutions that can keep their data and applications protected in an increasingly complex digital world.
Source: The small business site
