Woburn, MA – December 6, 2017 – According to the Kaspersky Lab IT Security Economics Report, over the past year, businesses have experienced an increase (up to 16%) in both cyberattacks involving DDoS and attacks involving vulnerabilities in point-of-sale (POS) systems.
Woburn, MA – December 6, 2017 – According to the Kaspersky Lab IT Security Economics Report, over the past year, businesses have experienced an increase (up to 16%) in both cyberattacks involving DDoS and attacks involving vulnerabilities in point-of-sale (POS) systems. These figures indicate that cybercriminals are likely planning to use these attack strategies this holiday shopping season.
An increase in attacks where DDoS and POS systems were the main vectors is alarming for retail and e-commerce businesses – especially during the holiday sales season, when there are more shoppers online and in-store than usual. The holiday gifting time boosts sales for retailers, but also makes retailer revenues an attractive target for cybercriminals to stage successful DDoS attacks against them for a ransom, use POS systems as an entry point for targeted attacks, or steal customer credentials and money.
These kinds of attacks are not only a concern for businesses during the holiday season, but also throughout the year, with over 77 percent of companies claiming to have suffered from some kind of cyberattack during the last 12 months. 2017 has seen a series of high-profile cybersecurity breaches reported in the payment systems of major brands –from Chipotle to Hyatt Hotels and recently, Forever 21.
“Given this year’s apparent increase in these types of attacks, we recommend businesses – retailers in particular – to stay alert during the holiday season, when there are more risks of cybercriminals cashing-out through the exploitation of payment systems or attacks that use DDoS,” said Alessio Aceti, head of enterprise business division, Kaspersky Lab. “These can involve cybercriminals demanding a ransom, or simply preventing an organization from trading, making them lose income and clients as a result. But apart from the obvious risks, this is also a good opportunity for businesses to think about their protection in general, by developing their cybersecurity culture and investing in the right technologies.”
To avoid becoming victim to a cyberattack and compromising their revenues in the upcoming high sales season, retailers and e-commerce organizations can protect themselves with a range of solutions dedicated to meeting their specific requirements. Kaspersky Lab strongly recommends that retailers:
- Keep e-commerce platforms up-to-date, as every new update may contain critical patches to make the system less vulnerable to cybercriminals.
- If possible, make sure that the POS terminals run the latest version of software and change the default passwords.
- Use a tailored security solution, like Kaspersky Embedded Systems Security, to protect point of sales terminals from malware attacks.
- Prepare for DDoS attacks by choosing a reliable service provider that is a cybersecurity expert and can protect against powerful and sophisticated DDoS attacks. This is not always possible using in-house resources or internet providers.
- Educate customers about the possible cyberthreats they may encounter while shopping online and offline, as well as offer tips on how to minimize the risks.
To learn more about how Kaspersky Lab can help protect retail organizations from cyberthreats please visit our website.
About Kaspersky Lab
Kaspersky Lab is a global cybersecurity company celebrating its 20 year anniversary in 2017. Kaspersky Lab’s deep threat intelligence and security expertise is constantly transforming into next generation security solutions and services to protect businesses, critical infrastructure, governments and consumers around the globe. The company’s comprehensive security portfolio includes leading endpoint protection and a number of specialized security solutions and services to fight sophisticated and evolving digital threats. Over 400 million users are protected by Kaspersky Lab technologies and we help 270,000 corporate clients protect what matters most to them. Learn more at www.kaspersky.com.
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Media Contact:
Denise Berard
781.503.1836
Denise.Berard@kaspersky.com
