Walmart Massacre: 600+ Mass Shootings So Far This Year
Deadly Shooting at Walmart in Virginia Adds to Nation's Grim Gun Toll

Six were killed, as well as the gunman, in the third recent high-profile mass shooting in the United States.

As nighttime shoppers browsed for household items or Thanksgiving necessities, an employee of a Walmart in Chesapeake, Va., took out a pistol and, without a word, a witness said, opened fire, killing five of his co-workers and a 16-year-old boy, and wounding several others before turning the weapon on himself.

The bodies of the gunman and two victims were found in an employee break room, the authorities said, and another near the front of the store. Three died after being taken to nearby hospitals.

The burst of workplace violence, just after 10 p.m. on Tuesday, tore at the holiday cheer of a popular shopping center now cordoned off with yellow police tape. And it thrust the nation, again, for the third time in less than two weeks, into a familiar and increasingly frequent cycle of mourning and soul-searching, prayer-sending and finger-pointing, in the aftermath of yet another mass shooting.

Days earlier, an attacker killed five people and wounded 18 others at a Colorado Springs nightclub that had been seen as a haven of safety for the local L.G.B.T.Q. community. Earlier this month, a student at the University of Virginia shot and killed three members of the school's football team on a bus as they returned from a class trip.

The Gun Violence Archive has counted at least 609 mass shootings so far this year, through mid-November. Of those shootings, 21 involved five or more fatalities, including the aforementioned attack at a Walmart and L.G.B.T.Q. nightclub.

The group recorded 692 mass shootings last year, with 28 involving four or more fatalities. nytimes.com

   More Coverage of the Walmart Mass Shooting:

   • Virginia Walmart gunman left a 'death note' saying he felt harassed by coworkers
   • City begins vigil to honor those killed in Walmart shooting
   • US Walmart shooting: Weapon purchased morning of attack

   Related Op-Ed: After 600+ mass shootings this year, let's be honest about guns

Stores Beefing Up Theft Prevention Amid Holiday Rush
US Retailers Add Cameras, Steel Cables to Deter Holiday Crime

The retail industry has decried theft this holiday season as it struggles with excess inventories.

Retailers ranging from Walmart to Barnes & Noble are installing cameras or locking away items to deter shoplifters and thieves as they brace for a post-pandemic rush of holiday shoppers this year.

Some, including Walmart, J.C. Penney, Apple Inc. and Walgreens, put in place new surveillance systems or more security guards. Others, like Target and Barnes & Noble, sealed merchandise behind plexiglass or tethered it with steel cables to store shelves.

The retail industry has decried theft this holiday season as it struggles with excess inventories and a pullback in consumer spending at a time of high inflation.

"Sales are suppressed. Profits are being punished at the time of the highest inflation in 42 years. And now with the cost of preventing crime going up, that's going to be passed along in higher prices," said Burt Flickinger, managing director at retail consulting firm Strategic Resource Group

The effect on holiday sales and profits "will be horrific," he added. "Nowadays you can see shampoos are locked up, along with acetaminophen and Tylenol and multipacks of toothpaste locked up.... people planning to shop in stores will not want to go in to these locked and over-secured stores. So overall retailers lose both the planned purchase and the impulse purchases."

Crime has been in the spotlight since a spate of brazen, violent store thefts - including a "smash and grab" incident during the holiday season last year where 80 people rushed into a Nordstrom near San Francisco and ran out with armfuls of merchandise, injuring five employees. One survey by the National Retail Federation (NRF) cited a 26.5% jump last year in "organized retail crime" carried out by groups of people. arise.tv

Small Businesses Hit Hard by Theft Surge
How Small Businesses Can Navigate Rising Retail Theft
Organized retail crime (ORC) is a rising threat across the U.S. According to the National Retail Federation, ORC costs businesses $700,000 for every billion dollars in sales, with a majority of small businesses reporting an increase in shoplifting and organized theft in 2021.

Selling Stolen Items Via E-Commerce

Recently, neighborhood fences have been replaced by e-commerce.

Disorganized Retail Crime

Disorganized retail crime has also become an issue across the U.S. It occurs when individuals, not groups, enter the same retail locations, sometimes multiple times a day, and are grabbing high-end items, and walking out. They taunt store staff and make no effort to hide their actions. They then sell the items on the street for cash.

Why The Sudden Upswing In Retail Crime?

In the past few years, the justice system has changed. Numerous prosecutors ran on a promise to no longer prosecute low-level crimes. Unfortunately, it has emboldened criminals with the belief that there are no consequences for their actions.

Staff Shortage And Less Security

Police staffing shortages have caused law enforcement agencies to no longer prioritize or, in some instances, discourage officers from making any shoplifting or theft arrests if prosecutors are going to dismiss the cases. Adding to the issue, retail security teams have cut back significantly; many companies have adopted a hands-off policy for all members working at their retail locations, and e-commerce has allowed for an environment where thieves selling stolen goods can do so anonymously online with little chance of being caught. securityinformed.com

Crime Closures Continue
Portland store shuts down, posts blistering note on front door slamming rampant crime: 'City is in peril'
A Portland, Oregon, clothing shop permanently shut down this month after facing a string of break-ins that has left the store financially gutted, according to a note posted to the front of the store.

"Our city is in peril," a printed note posted on Rains PDX store reads, according to KATU2. "Small businesses (and large) cannot sustain doing business, in our city's current state. We have no protection, or recourse, against the criminalbehavior that goes unpunished. Do not be fooled into thinking that insurance companies cover losses. We have sustained 15 break-ins ... we have not received any financial reimbursement since the 3rd."

The store's owner Marcy Landolfo said that after 15 break-ins over the last year and a half, the business can't survive the financial burdens the crimes have cost the shop.

"The problem is, as small businesses, we cannot sustain those types of losses and stay in business. I won't even go into the numbers of how much has been out of pocket," she said.

The message posted to the front store noted that the shop is closing down due to the "unrelenting criminal behavior," "coupled with escalating safety issues for our employees."

When Rains faced a break-in last month, according to KATU 2, Mayor Ted Wheeler's office said they were working on a plan to better financially assist business owners who needed to repair their shops.   foxbusiness.com

New Organized Retail Crime Unit in WA
Washington State Attorney General calls for retail crime unit
Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson said Tuesday he is asking the state legislature for $1.5 million annually to fund the creation of a 10-member organized retail crime unit, according to a press release from the Attorney General's office.

The request follows Ferguson's convening of an organized retail crime task force to improve cooperation between law enforcement agencies in dealing with organized retail crime, which involves the theft of goods from retail stores for resale. Such criminal activity costs major retailers billions in losses every year, the press release noted.

The press release said creating a new unit would allow the Attorney General's office to prosecute cases referred by county prosecutors, giving the state limited jurisdiction over such cases.

"Washington law enforcement agencies have limited resources to tackle these sophisticated crimes," Ferguson said in the press release. "A modest investment in a centralized statewide organized retail crimes unit will hold criminals accountable and deter crimes which cause significant economic harm to our state."

According to the press release, nine other states have similar state tasks forces dedicated to investigating and prosecuting organized retail crime. columbiabasinherald.com

Retailers worry about the millions they're losing to 'organized retail theft'
 
Police, Retailers Work to Crack Down on Brazen Shoplifting Ahead of Holidays


Great News: New SF DA Focusing on Merchant Retail Corridors & Prosecuting Petty Theft - Up 16.4% in First Four Months

SFPD Ramping Up Arrests 20% - 100 More Per Month
New DA is Retail Focused & Cops are Motivated

San Francisco PD Responds to New DA After Former Progressive DA Boudin's Removal
While overall crime rates have not changed significantly, police responded immediately to Jenkins and has presented an average of 100 more arrests per month to the D.A. since Jenkins took over in July.

The one case outcome that has shifted significantly is that Jenkins' office is diverting a smaller share of criminal cases than under Boudin in his final months.

In an interview, Jenkins said she's expecting the gap between her and Boudin's case statistics to widen as her policies spread through the city's criminal justice system.

SFPD spokesperson Robert Rueca said the department has "been able to focus more resources in the downtown area to address drug dealing, theft, and other crime impacting neighborhoods and merchant retail corridors."

Jenkins said she believes her appointment influenced arrest rates "Because I took a different position (then Boudin's not prosecuting "quality of life" crimes), I would imagine that has affected (officers') willingness to make arrests and present those cases," Jenkins said. Second, she said she thinks police are feeling more "motivated."

Jenkins is also charging two crime categories at significantly higher rates than Boudin: Narcotics and Petty Theft. Her office charged 71% of narcotics bookings, a 10% point increase from Boudin's final months. She has also charged 78% of petty theft cases so far, compared with Boudin's 67%, up 16.4%.

"There were certain crimes, mostly misdemeanors, that he was not willing to charge," she said. "I took a different position."

Jenkins is starting to divert fewer cases than Boudin. Her conviction and dismissal rates have both increased slightly. sfchronicle.com


California's War On Organized Retail Crime

California Gov. Newsom Boosts ORC Efforts
Newsom increasing efforts to combat retail theft ahead of holiday season
California Governor Gavin Newsom will be increasing efforts to tackle retail theft during the holiday season. During the holiday season, Newsom said that the CHP officers will increase their presence at shopping centers throughout the state as part of their Organized Retail Crime Task Force.

"Shopping centers across California will see saturated patrols as CHP regional teams work with local law enforcement agencies to help make arrests and recover stolen merchandise," Newsom said in a statement.

The task force was started in 2019. CHP says their task force has been involved in 1,296 investigations which has led to the arrest of 645 suspects. The task force has recovered 271,697 stolen retail items worth nearly $26 million.

"The CHP is dedicated to ensuring everyone is safe during this holiday shopping season," Commissioner Amanda Ray said. "We are working hard to combat organized retail crime and deter organized theft rings." kion546.com

ORC is a Top Concern of CA Law Enforcement & Shoppers
Holiday shopping season marks start of heightened organized retail crime theft prevention efforts
Black Friday marks the start of the holiday shopping season, and with it, organized retail theft is top of mind for California law enforcement agencies and shoppers.

On Friday, Arden Fair Mall's parking lot was parked with shoppers out to find deals, and with more shoppers, the potential for retail crime, like in-store smash-and-grabs or theft targeting shoppers who leave shopping bags in their vehicles while they continue on, goes up.

Ahead of the holiday season, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced statewide efforts to curb organized retail theft in the form of the California Highway Patrol Organized Retail Crime Theft Task Force. The goal of the ORCTF is to increase law enforcement presence at shopping centers and work with local law enforcement agencies to make more arrests.

These efforts were known by Black Friday shoppers in Sacramento who knew to hide their shopping bags in locked trunks or under privacy covers built into their vehicles.

One shopper told CBS13 he even goes as far as wearing new clothing, like a hat he found on sale on Black Friday, while he continues to shop, to ensure it is not targeted in his vehicle by criminals.

To prevent retail theft shoppers are advised to stay vigilant and hide valuables, including shopping bags, out of sight in their vehicles. cbsnews.com

More California Cities Join State ORC Task Force
Rocklin police join California Highway Patrol ORC Task Force
Rocklin police are joining neighboring cities like Elk Grove and Sacramento in launching a renewed effort to fight organized retail theft this holiday season. They're teaming up with California Highway Patrol's Organized Retail Crime Task Force to identify and arrest shoplifters.

The initiative comes after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB 331, providing $255 million in grants for local law enforcement over the next three years to tackle retail theft.

According to the Governor's Office, California Highway Patrol officers have arrested 645 suspects and recovered stolen merchandise valued at nearly $26 million since the task force was created in 2019.

"In cooperation with the California Highway Patrol's Organized Retail Crime Task Force (ORCTF), and our retail partners, the Rocklin Police Department will conduct operations this holiday shopping season, to send a strong message to any potential criminal that retail theft will not be tolerated," said a Rocklin police spokesperson. abc10.com

Orange County, CA stores seeing uptick in retail theft ahead of holidays

Roseville Galleria ramps up security as retail theft meets holiday shopping season

US: 100.5M Cases - 1.1M Dead - 98M Recovered
Worldwide: 646.6M Cases - 6.6M Dead - 625.1M Recovered

Private Industry Security Guard Deaths: 362   Law Enforcement Officer Deaths: 815

Protests Erupt in China Over Lockdowns
China Protests Break Out as Covid Cases Surge and Lockdowns Persist

After a weekend of confrontations between officials and demonstrators, video from two sites in Shanghai and Beijing showed a heavy security presence.

"Lift the lockdown," the protesters screamed in a city in China's far west. On the other side of the country, in Shanghai, demonstrators held up sheets of blank white paper, turning them into an implicit but powerful sign of defiance. One protester, who was later detained by the police, was carrying only flowers.

Over the weekend, protests against China's strict Covid restrictions ricocheted across the country in a rare case of nationwide civil unrest.

Some demonstrators this weekend had gone so far as to call for the Communist Party and its leader, Xi Jinping, to step down. Many were fed up with Mr. Xi, who in October secured a precedent-defying third term as the party's general secretary, and his "zero-Covid" policy, which continues to disrupt everyday life, hurt livelihoods and isolate the country.

The Chinese government on Monday blamed "forces with ulterior motives" for linking a deadly fire in the western Xinjiang region to strict Covid measures, a key driver as the protests spread across the country. nytimes.com

   RELATED: China Clamps Down on Protesters Against Zero-Covid Policies

Administration Encourages Boosters Ahead of Potential Holiday Surge
The U.S. is 'certainly' still in a Covid-19 pandemic, Dr. Fauci says
The nation's top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, said the U.S. is "certainly" still in the middle of a Covid-19 pandemic and he is "very troubled" by the divisive state of American politics.

"As a public health official, I don't want to see anyone suffer and die from Covid," he told NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday. "I don't care if you're a far-right Republican or a far-left Democrat, everybody deserves to have the safety of good public health and that's not happening."

Fauci said between 300 and 400 people are still dying from Covid every day, and the uptake of the latest vaccine booster has been less than 15%.

White House Covid-19 Response Coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha said Sunday he knows it has been a long two years for Americans, but that it is still "incredibly important" to get vaccinated ahead of the holiday season. cnbc.com

US faces shortages of children's antibiotics and flu drugs amid 'tripledemic'

COVID cases are expected to rise this winter - how likely is reinfection?

Iconix Founder Fits DOJ's New Aggressive Corp. Criminal Enforcement Initiative
DOJ: Former CEO & Founder Of Iconix Brand Group (Retail Brands) Convicted At Trial Of 10 Counts Of Accounting Fraud - Faces 160 Yrs Fed. Prison
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced earlier today that a federal jury found NEIL COLE, the former Chief Executive Officer of Iconix Brand Group, Inc. ("Iconix"), guilty of participating in a scheme to fraudulently inflate Iconix's revenue and earnings per share, making false filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), and misleading the conduct of audits. The defendant was found guilty following a four-week retrial before U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos. Sentencing has not yet been scheduled.

"As a unanimous jury has now found, Neil Cole deceived his company's investors and auditors in order to make his company appear to be performing better than it was. Cole tried to hide his conduct behind tricks and lies, but the truth is now clear: Cole cooked the books. This verdict sends a message that this Office is committed to holding corporate executives accountable when they resort to fraud, no matter how long it takes. Wall Street should know that we will not be deterred from seeking justice in tough cases."

Iconix, whose shares traded on the NASDAQ, was in the business of acquiring various brands, including clothing and fashion brands, and then licensing those brands to retailers, wholesalers, and suppliers who, in turn, produced and sold clothing and other products bearing the brand names.

Iconix utilized joint ventures ("JVs") to profit from its brands in foreign markets. Iconix transferred ownership of a trademark or brand to the JV while maintaining a 50 percent ownership interest in the JV itself. When it entered into a JV, Iconix recognized as revenue the buy-in purchase price paid by the JV partner, less Iconix's cost basis in the trademarks.

Among the most critical financial metrics disclosed in Iconix's public filings with the SEC were Iconix's quarterly and annual revenue and non-GAAP diluted earnings per share ("EPS"). Iconix executives, including COLE, publicly identified revenue and EPS as the principal metrics demonstrating Iconix's growth. They also touted Iconix's consistent record of revenue and earnings growth and of meeting or exceeding Wall Street analyst consensus with respect to these metrics.

The World-Wide Fraud That Ultimately Led to it's Sale after Scheming Investors For Hundreds of Millions:  Continue Reading

Mass Shootings & Marauding Youths Changing Age Old Christmas Tradition

With 617 Mass Shootings in 2022 & Workplace & Retail Establishments Being the Top 2 Locations - Fear is More Likely the Prevailing Reason
Something the USA journalist didn't even consider

Virtual Santa visits replace trips to the mall

A trend that started during the pandemic appears here to stay: Virtual Santa visits.

For a fee, dozens of websites offer the option to chat with Santa via Zoom, Facetime, Skype or other video chat apps.

The appeal remains this season as cases of the respiratory virus RSV are on the rise and parents worry about young children being hospitalized as a result. usatoday.com ojp.gov gunviolencearchive.org

Editor's Note: Having reported a number of times over the last few years, both anecdotally from informal interviews and survey's, and from other media outlets, mothers predominately are driving this trend out of fear from active shooters.

Prior to the pandemic and the advent of video conferencing mothers were actually reportedly canvassing malls for Santa's located closest to exit doors, because of active shooters and violence. However, yes the RSV and even the flu and COVID variants are impacting as well. But in our opinion it's the mass shootings and the increasing trend we've all witnessed, of youths raiding- fighting - and swarming stores and malls.

   Just a thought. - Gus Downing

Fraudsters Around the Globe Busted in Europol Operations

142 Arrested in Global Bust of Fraudsters Impersonating Major Companies
Action against criminal website that offered 'spoofing' services to fraudsters
Judicial and law enforcement authorities in Europe, Australia, the United States, Ukraine, and Canada have taken down a website that allowed fraudsters to impersonate trusted corporations or contacts to access sensitive information from victims, a type of cybercrime known as 'spoofing'. The website is believed to have caused an estimated worldwide loss in excess of GBP 100 million (EUR 115 million).

In a coordinated action led by the United Kingdom and supported by Europol and Eurojust, 142 suspects have been arrested, including the main administrator of the website.

The services of the website allowed those who sign up and pay for the service to anonymously make spoofed calls, send recorded messages, and intercept one-time passwords. The users were able to impersonate an infinite number of entities (such as banks, retail companies and government institutions) for financial gain and substantial losses to victims.

The investigations showed that the website has earned over EUR 3.7 million in 16 months ($3.83 million). According to UK authorities, losses to victims at present are $51.5 million, with estimated worldwide losses in excess of $120 million.

In an international coordinated action carried out in November 2022, 142 users and administrators of the website were arrested across the world. The main administrator of the website was arrested in the UK on 6 November. On 8 November 2022, the website and server was seized and taken offline by US and Ukrainian authorities.

The case was opened at Eurojust in October 2021 at the request of the UK authorities. National authorities from ten countries, including European Union Member States and third countries, supported the investigation. The Agency played a key role in facilitating the judicial cross-border cooperation among all parties involved. Two coordination meetings were hosted by Eurojust to coordinate the national investigations and to prepare for the action. europol.europa.eu

Europol: $3.9 Million in Counterfeits Seized & 12.5K Websites Shut Down
International operation shuts down sites offering fake goods & pirated content

12,526 websites taken down & 127,365 fake products worth $3.9 million seized

Law enforcement agencies from 27 countries* participated in the 13th edition of Operation In Our Sites, a Europol-coordinated operation to take down websites offering counterfeit goods or involved in online piracy. The recurring operation, which is supported by Eurojust and INTERPOL, targets, investigates and seizes websites hosting a variety of illicit content.

The main issues continue to be intellectual property infringement on trademarks, as well as on copyrighted content available on internet protocol television (IPTV) and movie streaming services, peer-to-peer sharing platforms and hosting websites. Key findings of the operation that took place from 1 May to 14 November also show that more counterfeit products are being assembled within the European Union's borders and that intellectual property crime is closely intertwined with serious and organised crime.

As of this year's Cyber Monday, law enforcement agencies across several continents have taken down 12,526 websites, disconnected 32 servers used to distribute and host illegal content for 2,294 television channels and shut down 15 online shops selling counterfeit products on social media sites. In the physical realm, investigators seized 127,365 counterfeit products such as clothes, watches, shoes, accessories, perfumes, electronics and phone cases worth more than $3.9 million. europol.europa.eu

U.S. Bans More Chinese Security Equipment
FCC Expands Ban on Hikvision, Dahua & Other Chinese Firms
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted unanimously to formally implement provisions of the Secure Equipment Act of 2021 that will further restrict the sale and import of products by China-based manufacturers including Hikvision and Dahua, telecommunications groups Huawei and ZTE, and two-way radio manufacturer Hytera.

Announced Nov. 25, the new rules apply to future authorizations of equipment and services identified on the Covered List, which was published by the FCC's Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau as required under the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019.

Last year, the Biden administration signed the Secure Equipment Act into law, with the intent to block the authorization of network licenses from several Chinese companies whose hardware had been deemed a national security threat.

The ban allows the Chinese companies to continue selling equipment that has already been authorized for sale in the U.S. However, the FCC said it is also seeking further comment on revisions to the rules and procedures that allow equipment sales, along with potential revisions to the FCC's competitive bidding program and on future action related to existing authorizations.

For Hikvision, Dahua and Hytera, the ban in principle only applies to equipment designed "for the purpose of public safety, security of government facilities, physical security surveillance of critical infrastructure, and other national security purposes," the FCC said. The new requirements call for the three companies to document what safeguards they will put in place on marketing or sale for these purposes. A freeze has also been put in place on all of their equipment authorization applications until that work is completed. sdmmag.com

UK Enacts Similar Chinese Surveillance Ban
UK government moves against Chinese-made security cameras in public sector
The UK Government Security Group has instructed government departments to stop deploying security cameras provided by Chinese companies subject to the country's National Intelligence Law to sensitive sites.

Oliver Dowden, chancellor to the Duchy of Lancaster, made a statement in the House of Lords announcing the findings of a review by the Government Security Group of the risks of surveillance cameras implemented on government properties. The Group found that with CCTV and other advanced cameras systems increasing in capabilities and connectivity, "additional controls are required." The statement was also made in the House of Commons. biometricupdate.com

Retail's Record-Breaking Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend
NRF: Record 196.7 Million Consumers Shop Over Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend
WASHINGTON - A record 196.7 million Americans shopped in stores and online during the five-day holiday shopping period from Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday, according to the annual survey released today by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics. The total number of shoppers grew by nearly 17 million from 2021 and is the highest figure since NRF first started tracking this data in 2017.

"It is important to note that while some may claim that retail sales gains are the result of higher prices, they must acknowledge the historic growth in consumers who are shopping in-store and online during the long Thanksgiving holiday weekend and into Cyber Monday. It is consumer demand that is driving growth."

According to the survey, more than three-quarters (76%) of consumers say they shopped over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, up from 70% in 2021. The numbers shattered NRF's initial expectations by more than 30 million. nrf.com

Winners and losers of Black Friday 2022
With inflation looming, consumers waited until the shopping event to get deals on categories like electronics and sought out financing options such as buy now, pay later.

Average US Pay Increase Projected to Hit 4.6% in 2023
Labor market and inflationary pressure fuel higher-than-projected salary growth

Chipotle to open 250 to 285 restaurants in 2023

Claire's to open shops inside 21 Macy's stores

NRF Reiterates White House Call for Congressional Action to Avoid Rail Strike

Biden calls on Congress to head off potential rail strike


Last week's #1 article --

Retailers Using AI to Fight Holiday Retail Crime
How artificial intelligence is being used to stop retail theft
For many retailers, the holiday season is the biggest time of the year, and with increased concern about retail theft, many stores are putting in new tools to catch those who may be shoplifting. One of those tools is artificial intelligence. It's used at Lunardi's, a Bay Area grocery store.

The system uses artificial intelligence software that scans security camera footage in real-time for customer movements that may be shoplifting.

"Essentially, we're training the cameras to see. We're giving them a brain," says Hiren Mowji of Veesion, the French company that created the technology being used at Lunardi's and several other stores nationwide.

Veesion's technology doesn't consider someone's race, sex or how they're dressed. Instead, it alerts store staff if it thinks a customer may have taken a product and put it in their back pocket or backpack. That employee can then determine whether that person needs to be approached and escorted out of the store. fox4now.com

FBI Issues Warning Over Automated Attacks
Double Trouble: Why Account Takeover and Fake Accounts are Still Succeeding

The success of automated attacks has both businesses and the FBI on high alert - learn about the fraudulent marketplaces bot operators use to profit off their efforts, the tools and tactics used, and suggestions on optimizing your defenses.

Account takeover (ATO) and fake account generation attacks have become wildly successful in recent years, so much so that the FBI's Cyber Division issued a recent warning to businesses about the growing threat of automated attacks.

To better understand the current landscape as it pertains to retailers, Kasada analyzed the National Retail Federation's (NRF) Top 100 Retailers list and found that 52% had existing accounts for sale on criminal underground marketplaces. What is more shocking is that over two-thirds of these organizations already have a bot solution in place.

Kasada's threat intelligence team monitors several online marketplaces and botting forums where accounts, credentials, bypasses, methods to get free upgrades or items, and more, are listed for sale. Accounts often contain payment methods, gift cards, rewards cards, and loyalty points.

In observing these marketplaces, there's no denying how lucrative using bots to exploit businesses has become.

To maximize their efforts, adversaries often deploy ATO attacks against retailers or hospitality organizations where accounts possess payment methods (credit or debit cards, store cards, gift cards), reward points, or personal information. Threat actors also create fake accounts at these organizations, as it offers scalable ways to purchase hype products, enter contests, launder money, or commit fraud.

To successfully perform ATO or create fake accounts, fraudsters use automated attacks like credential stuffing or credential cracking. rhisac.org

Put Yourself in the Hackers' Shoes
Know thy enemy: thinking like a hacker can boost cybersecurity strategy

Putting on a red hat and trying to understand the motivations, expectations, behaviors, and goals of bad actors can be a key part of a solid cybersecurity plan.

As group leader for Cyber Adversary Engagement at MITRE Corp., Maretta Morovitz sees value in getting to know the enemy - she can use knowledge about cyber adversaries to distract, trick, and deflect them and develop strategies to help keep threat actors from getting whatever they're after.

That could mean placing decoys and lures that exploit their expectations for what an attacker will find when they first hack into an environment, she says. Or it could mean deliberately disorienting them by creating scenarios that don't match up to those expectations. "It's about how to drive defenses by knowing how the adversaries actually behave," says Morovitz, who is also group leader for MITRE Engage, a cyber adversary engagement framework.

Enterprise security leaders have long worked to identify their likely adversaries and what they might be after. However, their ability to delve into the hacker mindset has been limited by both available resources and knowledge as well as conventional strategies which stressed first perimeter defenses and then graduated defenses that provide the highest protection to the most valuable assets.

Hacker thinking helps shape security strategy

Now security experts - MITRE and others - advocate for CISOs and their security teams to use threat intel, security frameworks, and red team skills to think like a hacker and - more importantly - use that insight to shape security strategies. This, they say, means considering motives and mentalities which in turn influence their levels of persistence, the pathways they may take, and what exactly they want - all of which could be different or broader than assumed. That insight should then shape the direction of a defense-in-depth security; it should be used to create a truly threat-driven security strategy.

"If you're not thinking like a hacker, you're not able to take the actions that are right for your environment. But the more you know about the threats, the more effective you can be in applying that technology," says Jim Tiller, global CISO for Nash Squared and Harvey Nash USA. csoonline.com

Cyber Insurance Market Cools Off
Hot Market for Cyber Insurance Begins to Stabilize

An explosion in ransomware has led to high premiums, but the market shows signs of cooling off

The market for cyber insurance has begun to stabilize after a surge in ransomware attacks in recent years propelled a steep rise in premiums, observers say.

Cyber insurance can pay ransoms to hackers who lock company technology systems, or it can help offset the cost of responding to data breaches. Now, the premium increases of recent years seem to be slowing, if not halting entirely, as insurers get better at evaluating risks, new market entrants begin offering coverage, and supply and demand assert themselves.

"Things are looking better," said Jason Krauss, head of North America cyber product coverage for insurance brokerage WTW. "It's amazing, right, that I would tell you that a 20% increase [in premiums] isn't bad. But it's seen as a good thing."

The cyber insurance market has been going through a "hard" period, according to industry insiders, with rising premiums and less flexibility from insurers in terms of offerings. Premium prices on average rose more than 34% in the fourth quarter of 2021, according to data from the Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, and some businesses have reported far steeper rate increases.

"It was painful," said Kristen Peed, director of corporate risk management at professional services company CBIZ Inc. and a board member of the risk management society RIMS. Some colleagues in risk-management saw increases as high as 200%, Ms. Peed said.

"We've had two painful renewal years with increasing deductibles, restrictions and...increases in prices," she said.  wsj.com
 
Cryptocurrency Theft Surge
Cybercrime Carnage: Cryptocurrency-Targeting Attacks Abound

From Cryptojacking to Exchange Hacks to Scam Token Contracts, Innovation Abounds

While the cybercrime story for 2022 has yet to be fully written, cryptocurrency theft will no doubt have a starring role. Buoyed by the collective pilfering of billions of dollars' worth of cryptocurrency already this year, stealing more is sure to be a top New Year's resolution for the criminally inclined.

Illicit interest in cryptocurrency continues despite fallout from the crash and burn of cryptocurrency exchange FTX, which on Nov. 11 filed for bankruptcy. govinfosecurity.com

Crypto's Final Price Could Be Zero
No sane lender would extend credit against assets lacking any underlying collateral.

90% of organizations have Microsoft 365 security gaps

Best practices for implementing a company-wide risk analysis program

Website Operator Buying Stolen Goods From Addicts
Former Bellevue Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Selling Stolen Items on Amazon
PITTSBURGH, PA - A Florida resident has pled guilty to wire fraud and money laundering charges.

The plea of guilty was entered by Thac Duc Le, age 37, formerly of Venetia, PA, currently from Davie, Florida.

According to the information presented to the Court, during the period April, 2013 through August, 2016, Le operated a business in Bellevue, PA, called Last Call Entertainment. While Last Call was a second hand reseller of small electronics goods, Le also participated in buying health and beauty products (makeup, lipstick, etc.), over the counter medications (ibuprofen, aspirin, dietary supplements) and a wide variety of miscellaneous products (teeth whitening strips, electronic toothbrushes, pet products, small electronics like calculators, etc.), all purchased from walk-in sellers. These walk-in sellers were almost always addicted to various drugs and had shoplifted the products they were offering for sale to Le from local retail merchants. The Court heard of evidence that Le paid these walk-in sellers pennies on the dollar and in turn resold these stolen items on Amazon and that Amazon in turn paid him, by electronic funds transfers, more than $400,000 during the time period of the Indictment. justice.gov

Reno, NV: Police search for suspects in Apple Store burglary
RPD is trying to track down three men they say stole from the Apple store in south Reno. It happened just after 6 p.m. on Sunday at the store at Summit Mall. Police say they went into the store and started grabbing as much merchandise as they could. No weapons were used and no threats were made. kolotv.com

Manistee, MI: Michigan State Police suspect Arkansas couple of big shoplifting spree
A couple from Arkansas was arrested in the midst of a Northern Michigan shoplifting spree, Michigan State Police said. Troopers said they obtained a warrant and conducted a search Monday at a house on First Avenue in downtown Manistee, based on allegations that the young couple had various stolen items in their possession. Various items turned out to be a bit more. "Hundreds of items of stolen property were seized," Lt. Derrick Carroll said in a statement.

Police said they believe these items were removed from various storage units and businesses in Manistee, Traverse City, Cadillac and Ludington. A 25-year-old man and a 26-year-old woman, residents of Arkansas, had arrived in Northern Michigan in a vehicle that had been stolen in Arkansas earlier this month, according to the report. They were arrested and lodged in the Grand Traverse County Jail on suspicion of retail fraud in a case that's being handled out of the Grand Traverse County Sheriff's Office, state police said. Capt. Chris Clark of the sheriff's office said the couple faces first-degree retail fraud charges after allegedly stealing clothing, shoes and tools from a business in Blair Township on Nov. 14.

The Blair Township Community deputy in charge of this case connected the alleged shoplifting in Blair Township to a similar incident in Manistee, according to Clark. After realizing the circumstances in each case led to the same couple, Clark said, the deputy called the Manistee Police Department and state police to relay the information that eventually resulted in their arrests. Police did not disclose the names of the suspects, citing the ongoing investigation. The sheriff's office, Cadillac City Police Department, Manistee City Police Department, Manistee County Sheriff's Office and state police troopers from their Cadillac and Hart posts all are assisting in investigation. yahoo.com

Greenfield, WI: Walgreens and Ulta theft, pursuit, South Milwaukee man charged
A South Milwaukee man, 35, is accused of leading police on a chase after stealing from Walgreens in Greenfield. He is also accused of stealing from Ulta in Greenfield weeks before the Walgreens theft and pursuit. Andrew Gbur faces three counts of retail theft, one count of second-degree recklessly endangering safety and one count of vehicle operator flee/elude officer. fox6now.com

Middletown, OH: Theft suspect spotted by police in Lowe's parking lot arrested, booked in jail
As Middletown police officers were patrolling in the area of Lowes on Towne Blvd., they spotted a blue SUV matching a description from previous thefts at the store, according to the Middletown Division of Police social media page. At approximately 1 a.m. Tuesday, officers on patrol saw the SUV parked in the back of the Lowes parking lot and made contact with the driver, the spokesperson said. After officers made contact, police immediately noticed stolen lumber inside of the vehicle, the spokesperson said. A search warrant was conducted through further investigation at Hephenstine's house in the 4200-block of Roosevelt Blvd. During the search of Helphenstine's home, police recovered four reported stolen trailers from Middletown, Mason, Monroe and Liberty Twp., as well as items from previous thefts reported by Lowe's and Walmart, the spokesperson said. facebook.com

Rockville, MD: Gun store looted on Black Friday, thieves allegedly took 'long guns'
Police in Maryland are investigating after multiple people allegedly broke into a gun store and left with "long guns." The incident happened on early Friday morning at around 1 a.m. when the at least five suspects allegedly broke into Atlantic Guns in Rockville, Maryland, the Montgomery County Police Department told FOX 5. Police said that a black sedan crashed into the gun shop, and the alleged thieves entered the store, taking "long guns." n a Facebook post, Atlantic Guns said the damage appears to be minimal, alleging that the same group of people attempted to enter the store on Nov. 20.  foxnews.com

Cuero, TX: Police search for two female suspects involved in $1,000 baby formula theft from Brookshire Brother's

St George, UT: Woman on pretrial release for shoplifting case arrested for string of alleged thefts across Washington County

Redding , CA: Collectable Store burglarized only 23 days after grand opening, $15,000 of merchandise stolen

Roseville, CA: Roseville Galleria ramps up security as organized retail theft meets holiday shopping season