Advertisement


The D&D Daily Mobile Edition
LP, AP & Cybersecurity's #1 News Source

10/4/23 D-Ddaily.net
 

Advertisement

 

Advertisement


 

Advertisement

 

Advertisement

 

Advertisement


 


Intellicheck Promotes Innovative Veteran to Chief Technology Officer

MELVILLE, NY – October 3, 2023Intellicheck, Inc., an industry-leading identity company delivering on-demand digital and physical identity validation, today announced the appointment of Jonathan Robins as Chief Technology Officer.

Robins brings more than 35 years of technological innovation and leadership with a vision for the next wave of software applications to his new position at Intellicheck. His substantial expertise includes shaping growth strategies, optimizing engineering teams and creating customer focused cultures to deliver high-value engineering solutions. Always on the leading edge of technological innovation, he successfully built and later sold his own company focused on helping enterprises with business processes and custom applications development and systems that leveraged internet technology. With the sale of his business, Robins joined the Chicago Cubs where he concentrated on architecting software applications that leveraged large data sets, statistical modeling, AI,
and machine learning solutions. From that experience, Robins discovered the next wave of software applications applying machine learning and probabilities to large data sets to power a new wave of high-value software applications.

Read more here
 


Joseph Coleman promoted to Senior Security Manager for Amazon Web Services
Joseph has been with Amazon Web Services for more than a year, starting with AWS in 2022. Before his promotion to Senior Security Manager, he served as Security Program Manager Amazon Web Service, Infrastructure Data Centers. Prior to that, he spent two years with Amazon as Regional Loss Prevention Manager AMZL Logistics. Earlier in his career, he held roles with CVS, Duane Reade, Walgreens, and Lowe's. Congratulations, Joseph!


See All the Executives 'Moving Up' Here   

Submit Your New Corporate Hires/Promotions or New Position

 

 


 

Advertisement


 
Advertisement
Advertisement


First-of-its-Kind Solution: Improving Safety & Mitigating OSHA Fines
Solink® Expands Platform with New Blocked Exit Detection Capability

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Detects Obstructions at Exit Doors, Improving Safety and Reducing Fines

OTTAWA, ON, October 4, 2023 - Solink®, a leading physical security company for businesses, today announced its new Blocked Exit Detection capability, delivering even more value to its customers. Solink's Blocked Exit Detection, uses security cameras on Solink to proactively detect when perimeter doors are obstructed and notifies users to take prompt action, mitigating costly fines and improving health and safety for employees.

Exit route obstructions cost U.S. based businesses more than $6.25M in Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) citations in 2021. Exit route obstructions accounted for approximately 25% of total OSHA retail fines in the same year.

Read the full press release in the Vendor Spotlight column below


Axis Communications on Pace to Eclipse Record-Breaking 2022 and Exceed 2023 Performance Goals

Axis continues with record shipments, major product launches and new innovations, sharing details at annual partner conference

October 3, 2023 – CHELMSFORD, Mass. -- Axis Communications, the industry leader in video surveillance, gathered with top channel partners at its annual Axis Converge & Connect Conference (ACCC) in Kansas City to share key accomplishments and set the stage for future growth. Just months ago, the company released the details behind its enhanced operations and strengthened supply chain which contributed to a historic performance in 2022 and record shipments in the first half of 2023. Today Axis shared specifics behind its high growth trajectory, including a return to standard product lead times (an average two-week delivery on 94% of its products), an unsurpassed level of units shipped year-to-date, and an all-time high inventory in distribution. On top of record output, Axis has accelerated innovation—launching an impressive 108 products and solutions so far in 2023, with more to be announced by year end.

“It’s always energizing to get together with our partners, but this year’s ACCC is particularly momentous. Not only are we following a banner year in 2022, but we’re also achieving exceptional outcomes from our investment in operations and supply chain which are helping to accelerate growth,” said Fredrik Nilsson, VP
Americas, Axis Communications. “We’re grateful to our partners and customers for their loyalty, and we’re eager to let them know what’s in store for the future. Our commitment to R&D coupled with our strengthened operations means that we’re full steam ahead when it comes to new innovations. We invite all partners and customers to experience them firsthand at our Axis Experience Centers.”

Read more here
 



Part 2 of Indyme's Q&A with the D&D Daily

Indyme: More than "that call button company!"

The D&D Daily's Gus Downing's Q&A with Hedgie Bartol, Vice President of Business Development for Indyme Solutions

Gus: So, what other solutions do you have besides these customer engagement buttons?

Hedgie: Well, from an exact solution standpoint, we have solutions for curbside pick-up, BOPIS, Fitting Rooms, Queue Management, Sweep Detection, Pushout Protection, Dwell sensors, Smart Domes and many more. But the even bigger picture is the fact that we can essentially give virtually any input the ability to output to another device, usually some form of communication such as a radio, PA or handheld device. With our Smart Response we address the issue many retailers are seeing today where they are building that “connected store” or “connected ecosystem” and providing the missing piece which is an event to action. When the various systems and solutions that are coming together provide actionable data, Indyme can facilitate that communication piece which closes that loop.

Gus: Very interesting! I had no idea! Can you give me an example of something that is unique and innovative?

Hedgie: One solution that we did that I thought was cool, was when a customer came to us and had an issue where a request for a service would be emailed into the store. However, the retailer’s IT department had determined that after 10 minutes of inactivity, the PC on site would require them to log back in. Well, the associates would not log in that frequently and would miss requests for service that come in, resulting in customers coming in without the store even knowing that a service had been requested. We used our technology to identify when an email came through to that service desk, we would trigger an announcement to the associate to go and check for the request. I thought this was pretty cool since I am a hardware guy and am used to hard inputs to an output, but this was all soft inputs and outputs. Here at Indyme, we can get very creative on resolving issues for retailers.

Stay tuned for Part 3, the final installment of Hedgie's Q&A coming tomorrow! Read Part 1 of the Q&A here.
 



The U.S. Crime Surge
The Retail Impact


RILA's Retail Store Walk Initiative in the News
DA, local retailers unveil initiative to tackle theft
The Parker County District Attorney’s Office is partnering with local business owners for a new initiative aimed at curbing retail theft. September marked the first Retail Store Walk Month, where DA Jeff Swain met with retailers, taking a tour of the stores and discussing options to deter, apprehend and prosecute thieves.

The initiative was
launched by the National District Attorneys Association and the Retail Industry Leaders Association, targeting organized retail theft and habitual theft.

In September, Swain and Investigator Chawn Gilliland visited Teskey’s and Home Depot in Weatherford, Lone Star Dry Goods in Willow Park and Tractor Supply in Springtown,
meeting with store managers and loss prevention personnel.

“At each of the stores,
we discussed security measures they have in place, including security cameras, what their problem areas are for theft, and how they are addressing those,” Swain said. “We gave them input on things we saw that they might be able to upgrade. We also shared information about how we are seeing organized retail theft and professional thieves impact Parker County.

Gilliland added he was impressed with the advancement of security camera setups in many of the locations.

“They have really taken advantage of the
reduced cost of technology and used to their advantage,” he said.

A commonality detected among the businesses was the
use of customer interaction, which doubles as a greeting to shoppers as well as a theft deterrent weatherforddemocrat.com


The National Debate Over ORC Data
Is there a shoplifting crisis? What you need to know about retail crime.

Retailers have blamed growing theft and violence for lost profits and shuttering stores, though some industry experts say other factors are also at play

Target, Walmart and other large chains are blaming rising crime and violence for a heap of store closures. Meanwhile, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Dollar Tree, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Ulta have all raised concerns about disappearing inventory — known as “shrink” — in their last round of earnings calls. Retailers routinely stock deodorant and name-brand shampoo in plexiglass cages. And a recent report by the National Retail Federation found that “retail crime, violence and theft continue to impact the retail industry at unprecedented levels.”

Are we in the midst of shoplifting crisis? Here’s what you need to know:

How pronounced is organized retail crime?

It’s
hard to quantify organized retail crime because companies categorize shoplifting losses as shrink, a term that also applies to employee theft, inventory miscounts and processing errors.

The closest tracking comes from NRF; according to its last annual survey, involving 177 retail brands,
shrink was responsible for $112.1 billion in losses in 2022. That’s a 19.4 percent spike from the $93.9 billion reported in 2021. More than half of those losses were attributed to employee theft and operational and processing errors, which climbed 29 and 27 percent, respectively.

Nor is there much evidence that organized retail crime is having a significantly greater impact on retailers than in years past.
External theft accounted for 36 percent, on average, of all theft last year, according to the survey, a slight decline from 2021.

But it is clear that
in-store violence has increased and is “becoming more dire,” David Johnston, the retail federation’s vice president for asset protection and retail operations, said in a news release Tuesday. “Far beyond the financial impact of these crimes, the violence and concerns over safety continue to be the priority for all retailers, regardless of size or category.”

What are retailers doing to combat crime? | Where do police and policymakers fit in? | Why else are retailers closing stores?: washingtonpost.com


California Cities File Lawsuit to Stop Zero-Bail Policy
12 L.A. County cities file lawsuit to postpone zero-bail policy implementation

LAPD Chief Michel Moore blasted the policy, saying that book-and-release protocols provide no deterrent to keep people from committing crimes

Twelve Los Angeles County cities filed a lawsuit Friday seeking to postpone
the controversial new zero-bail policy that allows some nonviolent defendants charged with felonies or misdemeanors to be cited and released after being arrested.

The cities of
Whittier, Arcadia, Artesia, Covina, Downey, Glendora, Industry, Lakewood, La Verne, Palmdale, Santa Fe Springs and Vernon are seeking an injunction to postpone the implementation of the Los Angeles County Superior Court's zero-bail schedule, which went into effect Sunday, according to a news release from the city of Glendora.

The new bail policy was imposed by court officials who
argued that a defendant's ability to pay bail should not be the key factor in determining whether they stay in jail after an arrest. The so-called zero-bail schedule has been a controversial issue around the country, with criminal justice reform advocates arguing that pretrial releases should be based on an individual's criminal history not on an arbitrary dollar amount.

Under the new schedule,
almost all defendants accused of nonviolent felonies or misdemeanors in L.A. County will either be cited and released or freed on certain terms and conditions after judicial review within 24 hours of arrest, according to L.A. County Presiding Judge Samantha Jessner. police1.com


Another State Unveils ORC Legislation
Pa. Senate panel OKs bill to crack down on organized retail theft
Days after waves of store looting in Philadelphia, a Senate committee on Tuesday approved legislation to create the offense of organized retail theft and give state prosecutors tools to apprehend violators.

The bill
creates the offense of organized retail theft and defines an “organized retail theft enterprise” as a corporation, partnership or type of association engaging in retail theft and receiving stolen property “with intent to resell or re-enter the merchandise into commerce.”

Law enforcement officials have said one of the goals of organized retail theft is to resell the stolen merchandise.

SB596
would create an office in the state attorney general’s office to combat organized retail theft that would be staffed by five prosecuting attorneys operating in different regions of the state.

The bill would also
reduce current monetary thresholds for retail thefts to be graded as felonies of the third and second degrees. post-gazette.com


Spokane Police note surge of retail crime in northeast Spokane

Rep. Henry Cuellar's carjacking highlights rising crime rate in nation's capital


 
UK's Retail Crime Surge


Fighting UK's Shoplifting Surge with Facial Recognition, Biometrics
UK minister wants police biometric passport database searches to catch shoplifters
CCTV images from shoplifting, burglary and theft investigations in the UK should be compared against Home Office passport and immigration databases with facial recognition, Police Minister Chris Philp says according to the Daily Mail.

There are no legal restrictions to keep the government data from being used in criminal investigation, Philp said during the Conservative party conference. The College of Policing also said in August that police in England and Wales will be directed to consider all potential evidence to find suspects or stolen property.

This could mean not only retail theft scenarios, but also thefts from peoples’ doorsteps that are captured on CCTV or video doorbell cameras.

Shoplifting has increased by 27 percent in the UK’s ten biggest cities so far this year, The British Retail Consortium says, with violence against shop employees also rising sharply. Police stats show that almost three-quarters of reported serious retail crimes do not result in a visit from law enforcement, according to The Guardian.

Philp is asking for the checks to start immediately, and planning for a new platform to make the biometric searches efficient within the next two years, The Guardian reports separately. The plan follows on the heels of the launch of Project Pegasus, in which large UK retailers are funding face biometrics searches by police.

Goode intelligence CEO and Chief Analyst Alan Goode said, "With up to a 37 percent rise in retail theft this year and with pressures on police resources, the use of biometric technology to assist law enforcement in detecting people who are persistently stealing from retailers is a viable option but only when it is deployed with safeguards that ensure that the technology is accurate, bias-free and meets privacy principles and regulations,” Goode comments. “Retailers are increasingly turning to biometrics to support a wide range of use cases including payments, age estimation/verification, and anti-shrinkage measures.”  biometricupdate.com


UK Businesses Lost $2.13B Last Year
Rising Retail Crime Is Not Just an American Problem
On Sunday,
leaders from 88 retailers across the U.K. — including top bosses from Clarks, Dr. Martens, Dune Group and JD Sports — have signed a new letter penned by the British Retail Consortium to U.K. Home Secretary Suella Braverman demanding action over rising rates of retail crime.

In the letter, leaders stated that they are seeking support for colleagues who continue to face “
unacceptable levels of violence and abuse,” amid a rise in theft, much of it organized crime, and “anti-social behavior” which in many cases are the root cause of violent incidents.

Firstly,
retailers are asking the government to create a new statutory offence of assaulting, threatening, or abusing a retail worker, allowing for tougher sentences for offenders — similar to the 2021 Protection of Workers (Retail and Age-restricted Goods and Services) Act passed in Scotland.

Secondly,
retailers are asking the government for greater prioritization of retail crime by police forces across the U.K. “While the police face challenges across numerous competing priorities, 44 percent of BRC members rate the police response as poor or very poor,” the letter stated.

According to the BRC’s 2023 Crime Survey,
violence and abuse against retail workers in the U.K. had almost doubled on pre-pandemic levels to 867 incidents every day in the period of April 1, 2021, to March 31, 2022.

The U.K.’s retail trade organization also put the scale of retail theft in the country at 953 million British pounds ($1.2 billion), despite retailers spending more than 715 million pounds ($867 million) on crime prevention. This means
the total cost of retail crime stood at a whopping 1.76 billion pounds ($2.13 billion) for the 12-month period to April, the survey found.

A separate BRC survey of members in 2023 found that
levels of shoplifting in 10 major cities had risen by an average of 27 percent. This is not to mention the cascade of recent press stories detailing the wave of theft and violence currently impacting shops across the U.K. wwd.com


UK Retailers Using Body-Worn Cameras to Fight Crime
Tackling the retail crime epidemic with tech – Are body cameras the answer?

The retail sector, it seems, is under attack. Increasing levels of shoplifting and violence against staff have led to the increased deployment of body-worn cameras.

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), in the 12 months to March 2023 the police recorded
339,206 shoplifting offences – a rise of a quarter on the previous year.

However, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) claims the figure was closer to eight million crimes, costing retailers nearly £1 billion annually. Of the shoplifting offences recorded, only 14% (48,218) were prosecuted, while in over half of cases (54%) no suspect was ever identified.

Emmeline Taylor, Professor of Criminology at London’s City University who works with retailers on strategies to prevent in store crime, says a large part of the problem is that the police are simply not responding to reports which are made to them.

Increasing lawlessness – ‘They’re not even bothering to hide anymore’

Ms Taylor describes increasing
lawlessness on the high street, driven by the cost-of-living crisis, growing mental health problems, drug addiction as well as a perception in some parts of social media that shoplifting is ‘fair game’.

Though not all of this criminal activity
spills over into abuse against staff, much of it does, with the vast majority of offenders knowing that little will be done to prevent them.

Body-worn cameras – the answer?

One possible solution may be through the deployment of technology, particularly body-worn cameras or bodycams. Whereas once these were only worn by security guards within the retail sector, they are
increasingly being worn by all staff dealing with the general public ifsecglobal.com


Overburdened Police & Criminal Justice System Can't Cope with UK Theft Surge
Shop theft has been building for years – how to tackle crime & keep workers safe
The increase in theft from UK grocery and convenience shops is often blamed on the cost of living crisis. But this situation has been
building for many years because overburdened policing and criminal justice systems can’t cope with a rise in organised crime and drug-fuelled stealing.

Under-funding of both the police and the criminal justice system in recent years has only fuelled the UK’s shoplifting problem.

Co-op found
police failed to respond to 71% of serious retail crimes reported. For offenders that are caught, the average custodial sentence for a shop theft is two months (automatic release means half of this is served in prison). Adults released from custodial sentences of less than or equal to 6 months have a proven reoffending rate of 56.5%.

Although the causes of prolific and persistent offending are complex and far reaching, there are some simple solutions.
Retailers are calling for new offences and for police to prioritise retail crime more. theconversation.com


RELATED: UK retailers demand government action on rising crime

Read more in the D&D Daily Special Report: 'Lawlessness on UK's High Streets'


Advertisement

 



Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Led 'Scheme to Recruit Men for Sex Events'
The alleged abuse took place between 1992 and 2014

Ex-Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries accused of running ‘well-oiled machine’ where he paid ‘recruiters’ $1,000 to lure young men to events for sex
Ex-Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries is facing allegations of sexual exploitation after eight men claimed in a bombshell BBC News investigation that he headed
an elaborate scheme to recruit them for sex events.

Over the course of its two-year probe,
BBC spoke to eight men who alleged that they were exploited or abused after being lured to events at Jeffries’ upscale New York residence or luxury hotels in the world’s fashion capitals.

The BBC described the exploitative regime as
a “well-oiled machine” where “recruiters” were allegedly tasked with bringing young men to Jeffries’ events in London, Paris, Venice and Marrakesh and would receive as much as $1,000 per referral.

A personal “groomer” then allegedly shaved the body hair off some of the men before they attended the events, according to BBC.
Men were then required to sign non-disclosure agreements that said they would be sued if they spoke out. They were not allowed to keep a copy of the legal document.

The young men alleged
they were recruited to the sex events by a middleman who reported to Jeffries and his British lover, Matthew Smith, with half claiming they were misled about the nature of these events.

Other alleged victims knew the events were sexual but were unsure what was expected of them, though all were paid to attend and hopeful that by doing so,
they would land a modeling opportunity with Abercrombie & Fitch, according to BBC.

The alleged abuse took place between 1992 and 2014, when Jeffries abruptly resigned after 22 years at the helm following consistent sales declines and controversy — which Jeffries seemingly invited when he openly favored what he called “cool, good-looking people” at A&F while shunning “fat people.” nypost.com  bbc.com


Mass. AG Investigation Into Supermarket Chain Security Racial Profiling
Roche Bros. agrees to steps to end security-guard profiling of Black people at its Downtown Crossing store
Roche Bros. agreed to measures to reduce the way
Blacks were "disproportionately subjected to stops" for alleged shoplifting and then permanently banned in higher numbers than similarly stopped whites to settle an investigation by the state Attorney General's office. In addition, Roche Bros. agreed to pay the state $40,000.

The AG's office says that Black customers in particular were disproportionately subjected to stops by third-party security personnel. The Commonwealth further alleges that s
ome Black customers who were stopped were banned from later entering Roche Bros.

The state also alleges that Roche Bros.
failed to exercise "sufficient oversight" over the security company, provide anti-discrimination training to either the guards and its own workers at the store and failed to review shoplifting reports to ensure no group was being singled out for enforcement.

Under the agreement, Roche Bros.
will hire an outside consultant to review its loss-prevention practices and develop "a policy explaining and prohibiting racial profiling, including a policy stating that discrimination against customers or other members of the public based on race or other protected characteristics is strictly prohibited, including in connection with security practices." universalhub.com


BJ's Slapped with $9M Fine Over Product Safety Hazard
BJ’s to Pay $9M for Not Reporting Potentially Fatal Hazard

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission cites retailer responsibility in the wake of deadly fire

BJ’s Wholesale Club is in hot water for a line of portable air conditioners sold in its stores. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced that the
discount operator has agreed to pay $9 million in civil penalties.

The CPSC alleged that BJ’s had information “reasonably supporting” the conclusion that the air conditioners produced by Royal Sovereign International and sold by BJ’s between 2011 and 2012 had a defect in the drain monitor that could ignite the units. According to the independent federal agency,
BJ’s learned of a 2016 fatal fire associated with a portable air conditioner purchased at one of its locations by at least 2017; the retailer issued a safety notice to Royal Sovereign units in March 2021, three months after the official recall by Royal Sovereign and the CPSC.

Alexander Hoen Saric, chairman of the Commission, pointed out that retailers are required to inform the USPSC of products that can cause serious injury or death. “In this case, BJ’s did not report to the Commission when they learned of a death from the product in 2017.
BJ’s did not report even when it notified its own customers to stop using the product due to safety concerns,” Hoehn-Saric declared. progressivegrocer.com


Kroger-Albertsons Merger Faces More Obstacles
Former FTC policy director: Kroger, Albertsons merger is facing ‘a hurricane storm’

This FTC is not the same agency that approved past mergers, making the current deal on the table challenging, according to multiple sources

Former FTC policy director David Balto, who has been involved in several grocery merger deals with the FTC, said the
deal with C&S was not enough to encourage the FTC to approve the merger, and that a similar divestiture deal with a closer competitor like Ahold Delhaize would have made a stronger impression.

In an exclusive interview with Supermarket News, Balto said the FTC will likely take Kroger and Albertsons to court over the C&S deal. “
I think it’s highly unlikely the FTC would accept this divestiture, and I think that means that they’ll go to court and litigate,” Balto said. supermarketnews.com


Macy’s sets out to triple its off-mall fleet in less than 2 years

Domino’s, Microsoft team to transform ordering, store workflows with AI
 



Senior LP & AP Jobs Market

Director of Loss Prevention job posted for NAPA Auto Parts in Atlanta, GA
Accountable for managing and directing all loss prevention activities and outcomes throughout APG by providing leadership and building business partnerships with all corporate, divisional, regional, distribution and field partners. Monitors the progress of the business and loss reduction goals necessary to ensure effective execution and profit improvement in the company. Cascades various strategic initiatives throughout the company and ties the responsibilities of employees with value driven tasks, activities, and projects that impact revenue and profit. genpt.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com
 



Advertisement


All the News - One Place - One Source - One Time

Thanks to our sponsors/partners - Take the time to thank them as well please. If it wasn't for them The Daily wouldn't be here every day for you.
  


 
Advertisement

 

 


Advertisement

 

 

Solink® Expands Platform with New
Blocked Exit Detection Capability

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Detects Obstructions at Exit Doors, Improving Safety and Reducing Fines


OTTAWA, ON, October 4, 2023 - Solink®, a leading physical security company for businesses, today announced its new Blocked Exit Detection capability, delivering even more value to its customers. Solink's Blocked Exit Detection, uses security cameras on Solink to proactively detect when perimeter doors are obstructed and notifies users to take prompt action, mitigating costly fines and improving health and safety for employees.

Exit route obstructions cost U.S. based businesses more than $6.25M in Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) citations in 2021. Exit route obstructions accounted for approximately 25% of total OSHA retail fines in the same year.

Through powerful AI algorithms, Blocked Exit Detection uncovers obstructions at exit doors over an extended period of time and sends notifications to local or central users when discovered. Notification reminders can be set if the obstruction is not cleared within a set period of time.

Blocked Exit Detection is a software service that does not require the need for specialized hardware or new cameras.

"Our customers rely on Solink to help them protect their people, patrons and profits," said Michael Matta, CEO, Solink. "Blocked exits are the most commonly found hazard during OSHA inspections. In many conversations with customers, we learned that fines and safety citations were increasing with the pressure of staffing shortages. Solink partners with our customers to provide ROI-driven improvement. With Blocked Exit Detection - we're making it even easier for our customers to keep their people safe and mitigate tens of thousands of dollars in potential OSHA fines."


About Solink

Solink is the leader in video security for businesses of all sizes. Solink's hardware and software is purpose-built for business owners, IT and security teams. Solink integrates with over 200 solutions to help give visibility into business. With over 18,000 customer locations in 15 countries, Solink helps provide customers of all sizes with peace of mind for their security and operations. Solink has built a reputation as a trusted partner that solves real business problems for many of the world's most respected brands. For more information, visit www.solink.com. If you'd like to try Solink, click here.


 

 

Advertisement

 

Advertisement

Advertisement



Retailers Facing More Ransomware Attacks 
Survey: Retailers are not prepared for ransomware attacks

New data reveals some significant shortcomings in how retailers handle the threat of ransomware.

According to a survey of more than 1,000 global retail IT decision-makers from backup, recovery and storage solutions provider Arcserve, more than half
(54%) of respondents disclosed they were targeted by ransomware in the past 12 months;. One-quarter (26%) of these attacks resulted in compromised data, and 25% of respondents confirmed paying ransom as a result of an attack.

In other troubling signs for the retail industry,
two in three respondents said they were not very confident in their ability to recover all lost data in the event of a ransomware attack. More than four in 10 (42%) respondents admitted being unable to recover all data during their last significant data loss incident.

In addition, close to six in 10
(57%) respondents said they lack well-documented or updated disaster recovery plans, and close to three in four (72%) revealed that they do not have specific data resilience goals within their data and backup strategies.

"As we head into the holiday shopping season, retailers can't afford to be caught off guard,” said Aftab Alam, chief product officer at Arcserve. “
Retailers must urgently overhaul their disaster recovery plans to match the ever-evolving cyber threat landscape."

Visa: Ransomware on the rise

The fall 2023 "Biannual Threats Report" from Visa Inc. concurs with the findings of the Arcware study. While Visa data indicates the
global fraud rate trended lower than normal expected fraud levels during the report’s first half 2023 time period, it also shows that ransomware attacks continued to grow in prevalence.

Report data indicates March 2023 surpassed prior ransomware attack records for the most incidents in one month, with nearly
460 attacks, a 91% increase month-over-month and 62% year-over-year. Exploited vulnerabilities (36%) were the most common root cause of ransomware attacks, followed by compromised credentials (29%). chainstoreage.com


21% of CISOs Have No Threat Intelligence Capability
The value of threat intelligence — and challenges CISOs face in using it effectively

Knowing the who, what, when, and how of bad actors and their methods is a boon to security, but experts say many teams are not always using such intel to their best advantage.

AdvertisementMany CISOs have been using threat intelligence -- or more specifically cyber threat intel -- for years, recognizing that the additional data about the threat landscape can help them better prepare for and defend against bad actors.

However, a significant percentage of CISOs say they're falling short in their use of threat intelligence. A
Searchlight Cyber March 2023 report found that 93% of CISOs polled are concerned about dark web threats, but 21% of CISOs have no threat intelligence capability at all.

And an Enterprise Strategy Group's March 2023 report noted that 46% of CISOs do not consume cyber threat intelligence reports on a regular basis.

Those figures, security leaders say, only provide a glimpse at what's going on. They say the real issue isn't whether CISOs have access to or even receive intelligence, stressing that nearly all security teams have some threat intel built into the security tools and services that are now standard in all organizations.

Rather, the question is whether CISOs are effective in using the threat intel they do receive and to what degree they can operationalize the intelligence. csoonline.com


Fast-Growing BEC Scheme
Fast-Growing Dropbox Campaign Steals Microsoft SharePoint Credentials

Thousands of messages are being sent weekly in a campaign that uses links hosted on legitimate websites to evade natural language processing and URL-scanning email protections.

Threat actors are using messages sent from Dropbox to steal Microsoft user credentials in a fast-growing business email compromise (BEC) campaign. The effort evades natural language processing (NLP)-based security scans, and
demonstrates the rapid evolution of these types of attacks.

Researchers at Check Point Harmony observed more than 5,000 of the attacks — in which
fake login pages lead victims to a credential-harvesting site — in the first two weeks of September alone, they revealed in a recent blog post. They informed Dropbox of the campaign's existence on Sept. 18.

The attack is yet another example of the latest iteration of BEC —
BEC 3.0 — in which attackers use legitimate sites that are familiar and trusted by end users to send and host phishing material, the Check Point Team wrote in the post. Other popular sites used in BEC 3.0 attacks include Google, QuickBooks, and PayPal. darkreading.com


Online fraud can cost you more than money

GenAI in software surges despite risks


Advertisement

 


 

Advertisement


 


 

Advertisement
 

Inside Amazon's Confidential 'Project Nile'
Amazon's secret AI-powered plan to change the way you shop online
Codenamed Project Nile, the initiative
aims to add a layer of artificial intelligence on top of the existing search bar on Amazon, enabling instant product comparisons, requests for more details and reviews, as well as recommendations based on search context and personal shopping data.

The new search was supposed to launch in September, but got delayed, one of the people said. It's
being tested internally, and could launch in January, starting with the US, another person said, though those plans could change again. The sources asked not to be identified because they're not authorized to speak to the press.

"
Project Nile is a confidential initiative wherein we're building a conversational shopping agent for Retail customers," one internal document explained.

AI-powered,
interactive search could improve the shopping experience on Amazon. The company is also hopeful that the changes increase sales, especially on mobile devices. The project is a top priority internally with backing from senior leaders, including CEO Andy Jassy and retail boss Doug Herrington, the people said.

The project has broad implications because Amazon is the default gateway for many online shoppers.
More than 60% of US consumers start product searches there, according to e-commerce software maker Jungle Scout.

"While we don't comment on future plans,
we're going to keep inventing in generative AI across all of our businesses," an Amazon spokesperson wrote in a statement.

For example, if a shopper asks Amazon's new search bar, "What kind of coffee maker should I get?" it will give multiple options for a drip, pod, or espresso coffee machine,
eliminating the need to visit each product page one at a time. businessinsider.com


Amazon Faces Another Regulator in the UK
UK regulator to push for probe into Amazon, Microsoft cloud dominance
British media regulator Ofcom will this week push for an
antitrust investigation into Amazon and Microsoft's dominance of the UK's cloud computing market, according to two sources familiar with the matter.

The recommendation, first issued by Ofcom in April, will remain in the body's final report on the matter, set to be published Thursday, one of the sources said. Between them,
Amazon and Microsoft enjoy a combined market share of 60-70%. Meanwhile, their closest competitor, Alphabet's Google (GOOGL.O), has around 10%.

Following a study conducted by Ofcom earlier this year, the watchdog said it had considered
referring the market for investigation by the CMA, the British competition regulator.

Ofcom warned the current state of Britain's cloud computing market
made it difficult for some existing customers to bargain for a good deal with their provider. finance.yahoo.com


US labor board says Amazon breached terms of 2021 labor rights settlement

Inflation concerns drive online shopping in the US

TikTok Halts Indonesia Online Shop to Comply With New Rule

 




REVEALED: The 30 hottest innovations for reducing e-Commerce retail losses

Introducing the industry experts’ choices in the 2023 e-Commerce Innovation Challenge


Advertisement

 


 

Advertisement


 

Advertisement


 

Advertisement
 


 



Walnut Creek, CA: Police foil attempted smash-and-grab burglary at Broadway Plaza Louis Vuitton store
Police in Walnut Creek halted an attempted smash-and-grab burglary in process at the Louis Vuitton store in Broadway Plaza early Tuesday morning as suspects rammed a stolen Land Rover into the front of the business. According to a press release issued by the Walnut Creek Police Department, shortly before 4:30 a.m., police dispatch received multiple 911 calls of an incident at the Louis Vuitton store located at 1211 Broadway Plaza. Within one minute, a Walnut Creek officer arrived on scene and interrupted the approximately 15 suspects in four vehicles attempting to burglarize the store. Upon seeing the officer, the suspects fled in several directions. Additional responding officers saw one of the suspect vehicles fleeing westbound on Highway 24 at a high rate of speed. Officers pursued the vehicle but ultimately terminated the pursuit near Orinda due to public safety concerns. Police recovered a black 2017 Land Rover which was abandoned by the suspects in front of the store. Officers later determined the vehicle was stolen out of Sacramento. It appeared the suspects were using the Land Rover to gain access to the store by ramming the vehicle into the window. The Land Rover has been impounded for evidence. Authorities said the value of the loss and damage to the store is currently unknown at this time. The Police Department's Investigations Bureau is in the process of gathering surveillance footage and is actively following up on investigative leads. No additional information was available on the attempted robbery.  cbsnews.com


Memphis, TN: Smash-and-grab burglars steal $25K worth of goods from clothing store
This is not the first time, in fact it happened the 2 of the stores on the same night. The Owner of Village Mart stores stated that his stores are broken into at least once a month and Police done little to help. Each time, the stores suffer over $20,000 in damages on top of the loss of inventory. The owner stated that he will be hiring a Security Guard to patrol nightly all of his location in the Memphis area.  fox13memphis.com


Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada: $100,000+ worth of jewelry stolen in brazen overnight heist at Woodgrove Centre
Police are investigating after an estimated $100,000 worth of jewelry was stolen during a smash-and-grab robbery at Nanaimo’s Woodgrove Centre over the weekend. RCMP say on Saturday, Sept. 30 some time after 3 a.m. three suspects broke into the mall, made their way to Peoples Jewellers, broke through the glass display cases, and made off with a number of valuable items. Cst. Gary O’Brien said the suspects were in and out very quickly. “Three individuals, all wearing dark clothing, all had hoodies up concealing their faces, broke in through the north entrance near Walmart. They then made their way to Peoples Jewellers, they broke through the security gate, then they smashed open glass cases, took jewelry and were gone. In and out of the mall within about nine minutes.”  nanaimonewsnow.com


Tulare County, CA: $22,000 worth of Diesel stolen from Tulare County gas stations
The Sierra Minit Mart locations in Porterville and Terra Bella are two busy gas stations for travelers on Highway 65 in south Tulare County. They were hit with about $22,000 worth of dollars in diesel theft over the September 9th and 10th weekend. Surveillance images show the theft at the Porterville location. You can see two large box trucks, each around about 15 feet long, parked side by side. Store managers say the thieves managed to open up a fuel pump by the credit card reader and siphon about 1,300 gallons of diesel.  abc30.com


Fort Wayne, IN: Man accused of using Amazon ties to steal over $9K worth of items
The items ranged from GoPro cameras, Samsung tablets, Beats by Dre headphones and VR headsets, the last of which had not yet been released to the general public. The items totaled over $9,000, and a Fort Wayne man is facing felony charges after being accused of stealing those items from Amazon and selling them to pawn shops and other stores. The investigation started Sept. 21 when an officer with the Fort Wayne Police Department learned from the Lev’s Pawn Shop on Lower Huntington Road that the suspect, 20-year-old Carter Amos, had reportedly tried selling the unreleased VR headsets to the shop. The officer then learned Amos had also been involved in other similar transactions at multiple stores starting Sept. 9. During the investigation, the officer discovered Amos worked on the loading docks at the Amazon facility on Smith Road, and an Amazon employee told the officer Amos would have had “intimate access” to products found on shipping trucks, according to court documents. Police later obtained security footage from Amazon that reportedly showed Amos leave the Amazon facility either during breaks or at the end of his shift with his hard hat upside down and covered by clothes, according to court documents.  wane.com


Yavapai County, AZ: Police cracks down on organized retail theft
A Yavapai County jury found Eric Zelek Hoggs, 47, guilty of five counts of organized retail theft, five counts of trafficking in stolen property, theft of a means of transportation, criminal impersonation, possession or use of narcotic drugs, and possession of drug paraphernalia.  dcourier.com
 





NRF has declared Oct. 26 as Fight Retail Crime Day

 A day of action to unite the retail community to advocate for solutions in combating organized retail crime.

 



Advertisement

 

Advertisement


 



Shootings & Deaths


Hanford, CA: 82-year-old man stabbed and killed in random attack inside 99cent Only store
A suspect was arrested for stabbing a man to death during a random attack inside a store in Hanford on Tuesday afternoon. The stabbing happened around 3 pm at a 99 Cents Only store near 11th Avenue and Lacey Boulevard. Hanford police say the suspect, 23-year-old Ryan Washington, walked up to an 82-year-old man and stabbed him while in the store. The motive is still under investigation, but officials say Washington did not know the victim. Officers say the victim was a regular shopper at the store, and employees knew him well. Washington was arrested and booked into the Kings County Jail on several felony charges, including murder. Police say Washington does have a criminal history, but nothing as serious as murder.  abc30.com


Tacoma, WA: Store Owner in his 60s shot dead after altercation at C-store
Tacoma police say that a man in his 60s was shot and killed after some sort of confrontation at the store that he owned off of S. 35th and S. Ainsworth. Officers arrived at the scene just after 1:00 p.m. and found a man with a gunshot wound. They started life-saving measures, but the victim was pronounced dead at the scene.  fox13seattle.com


Columbus, OH: Murder suspect held on $5 million bond in fatal shooting at AutoZone back in August
Columbus police have arrested a 22-year-old man in connection with the fatal August shooting of a customer who attempted to intervene in an armed robbery attempt at an AutoZone store in the Polaris commercial area. Zackeyis Davis, 22, of the East Side, has been charged in Delaware County Common Pleas Court with aggravated murder in the shooting death of 43-year-old Alejandro Fajardo-Torres, according to court records. Davis was ordered held on $5 million bond during his initial court appearance on Monday. According to court records, around 5:10 p.m. on Aug. 24, Davis and another unidentified person were attempting to rob the AutoZone store at 8338 Sancus Blvd., at gunpoint. Fajardo-Torres, who was a customer and had a concealed carry permit, attempted to intervene and help the store clerk, who had been pistol-whipped, police have said. Davis allegedly shot Fajardo-Torres, who died at the scene from his injuries, police said.  dispatch.com


Rankin County, MS: Man wanted after Rankin County clerk shot during robbery
Rankin County deputies are searching for a suspect who shot a store clerk during a robbery. The incident happened just after 3:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 3 at the Sunoco on Highway 49 South in Star. Investigator Eric Mallery with the Rankin County Sheriff’s Office said the clerk was taken to the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) in Jackson. The clerk was in stable condition.  wjtv.com


West Seattle, WA: Police investigating after person shot outside 7-Eleven
Police are investigating after a person was shot in West Seattle Monday night. The King County Sheriff’s Office said at 9:46 p.m., a person who was shot showed up at the North Highline Fire Station at 1243 Southwest 112th Street in White Center. KCSO deputies arrived and the person told deputies they were shot at the 7-Eleven near 9401 Delridge Way Southwest in West Seattle. The KCSO told the Seattle Police Department about the shooting and police are currently investigating. The person was taken to a local hospital for their injuries.  yahoo.com
 



Robberies, Incidents & Thefts


El Sobrante, CA: California C-store clerk 'attacked with kerosene' and set on fire by homeless shoplifter
A California convenience store worker was doused in lighter fluid and set on fire while defending his store from shoplifters last month, KPIX reported. The shoplifter, identified by police as 38-year-old Kendall Burton, had visited Appian Food and Liquor in El Sobrante, Calif. three times that day to steal lighter fluid, authorities say. Upon returning for the third time, he was confronted by store workers who wrestled with the shoplifter while another grabbed a baseball bat. During the altercation, which was caught on a store security camera, Burton doused a clerk with lighter fluid and set him on fire. The clerk, who asked to be known only as Suraj for safety reasons, suffered second and third-degree burns on his face, neck, chest and shoulders. The Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office arrested Burton, who had outstanding arrest warrants, and charged him with crimes including assault with a deadly weapon, battery, arson causing bodily injury, robbery, and mayhem. He is being held without bail.  kimatv.com


27 suspected LA gang members arrested in connection with illegal drugs and weapons operation in California
Twenty-seven suspected gang members have been arrested and nearly 150 pounds of drugs have been seized as part of a months-long investigation into organized crime in Los Angeles, law enforcement announced Monday. The suspects were allegedly operating a statewide narcotics and firearm trafficking network throughout California, authorities say. As part of a multi-agency effort dubbed “Operation Safe Harbor,” law enforcement also seized 30 weapons, including ghost guns, as well as large volumes of drugs including over 72,000 fentanyl pills, 1.7 pounds of fentanyl powder, 143 pounds of methamphetamine, and 4.7 pounds of heroin, the Office of the California Attorney General said in a news release.  wlfi.com


Beachwood, OH: Theft of more than $90,000 in goods from mall jeweler under investigation
At 12:40 p.m. Sept. 27, police took a report of merchandise stolen from Kay Jewelers at Beachwood Place mall, 26300 Cedar Road, totaling $91,645.14. The store reported that the goods had been stolen over a period of three months. At this time, there is no evidence pointing to a suspect. The matter remains under investigation.  cleveland.com


Oakland, CA: Brazen smash-and-grab bandits target up to 10 cars an hour at shopping center near Oakland Airport

Norfolk, VA: Five-hour armed robbery spree in Hampton Roads yields 29-year sentence for Chesapeake man

Orlando, FL: Convenience store thieves each get over 10 years in prison

San Francisco, CA: Thieves targeting drivers at gas stations, East Bay police agency warns

Honolulu, HI: Police seeking 2 suspects in Macy’s theft; boxcutter pulled on Loss Prevention

Orlando, FL: Dollar General Employee Arrested for Alleged $1,700 Theft Scheme

 

Advertisement

C-Store – Tacoma, WA – Armed Robbery / Owner Killed
C-Store – Rankin County, MS – Armed Robbery / Clerk wounded
C-Store – Marionville, IL – Armed Robbery
C-Store- Aikens, SC – Burglary
C-Store – Corning, NY – Burglary
C-Store – Fort Worth, TX – Robbery
C-Store – Bayonne, NJ – Armed Robbery
C-Store – Bloomington, IL – Armed Robbery
C-Store – Austin, TX – Robbery
Clothing – Memphis, TN – Burglary
Clothing – Memphis, TN – Burglary
Dollar – Williamson County, IL – Burglary
Gas Station – Tulare County, CA – Robbery
Jewelry – Columbus, OH - Robbery
Jewelry – Tempe, AZ - Robbery
Jewelry – Mesa, AZ - Robbery
Jewelry – Lake Grove, NY - Robbery
Jewelry – Modesto, CA - Burglary
Louis Vuitton – Walnut Creek, CA – Burglary
Macy’s - Honolulu, HI – Armed Robbery
Restaurant – Charlotte, NC – Burglary
Restaurant – Salt Lake City, UT – Armed Robbery
Restaurant – San Francisco, CA – Armed Robbery
Restaurant – Highland, NY – Burglary
Sport - Wheeling, WV – Burglary                                                                                         
                          

Daily Totals:
• 15 robberies
• 10 burglaries
• 2 shootings
• 1 killed




Click to enlarge map

 

Advertisement


 



None to report.
 

Submit Your New Hires/Promotions
or New Position

See all the Industry Movement

 


 

Advertisement


 

Advertisement

 




Feature Your Job Here For 30 Days -

70% Aren't On The Boards

Post your job listing



Featured Job Spotlights

An Industry Obligation - Staffing
'Best in Class' Teams


Every one has a role to play in building an industry.
Filled your job? Any good candidates left over?

Help Your Colleagues - Your Industry - Build a 'Best in Class' Community

Refer the Best & Build the Best
Quality - Diversity - Industry Obligation

 





District Asset Protection Partner
Tucson and Chandler/Phoenix Area - posted September 27

The Asset Protection (AP) Partner is a strong communicator, advisor, investigator, and compliance partner. This role is responsible for asset protection program execution at all levels and implementing methods to prevent, and control losses, in support of protecting company assets. This role collaborates with store teams, Human Resources, Supply Chain, and District Management...



District Asset Protection Partner
West Sacramento, CA - posted September 26

The District Asset Protection (AP) Partner is a strong communicator, advisor, investigator, and compliance partner to our Stores. This role is responsible for driving shrink improvement and leadership of asset protection program execution at the District level. The District AP Partner is responsible for assessing store-based shrink initiatives, promoting shrink awareness, and implementing methods to prevent, and control losses...



Asset Protection Specialist
Newburgh, NY - posted September 25

The Asset Protection Specialist role at Ocean State Job Lot is responsible for protecting company assets and monitoring store activities to reduce property or financial losses. This role partners closely with store leadership and the Human Resources team, when applicable, to investigate known or suspected internal theft, external theft, and vendor fraud...



Security Director
Chicago, IL - posted September 7

Reporting to the VP of Corporate Security, the Director of Corporate Security is a professional security practitioner that acts as an advisor/consultant to the assigned Property Management Group. Responsibilities include monitoring security vendors' performance, evaluating for contract compliance, and serving as a program quality control manager...



District Asset Protection Manager
Washington, DC - posted August 31

The MidAtlantic Division has an opening for a District Asset Protection Manager in Northern Virginia. This person will support Fairfax, Arlington, and Loudoun counties. This is a salary role with up to 70% travel within the assigned district. District Asset Protection Manager will provide positive/proactive leadership, and instruction in the area of Security/Asset Protection...



Corporate & Supply Chain Asset Protection Leader
Quincy, MA - posted August 3

The primary purpose of this position is to manage the Corporate Asset Protection function for all US Support Offices and Supply Chain. Direct team in the design, implementation and management of physical security processes and equipment to ensure facilities are considered a safe and secure environment for all associates and external parties...



Occupational Health & Safety Manager
Mount Horeb, WI - posted July 27

This role is responsible for examining the workplace for environmental or physical factors that could affect employee or guest health, safety, comfort, and performance. This role is also responsible for reducing the frequency and severity of accidents. To be successful in the role, you will need to work closely with management, employees, and relevant regulatory bodies...



Manager, Physical Security
Jacksonville, FL - posted July 7

Responsible for overseeing all aspects of the company's physical security strategy for retail stores, warehouses, and store support center and field offices. This includes responsibility for the capital expense and repair budgets, developing written specifications, layout and design for all systems and to ensure all installations and repairs are made to SEG standards...



Regional AP Mgr - South FL Market - Bilingual required
Miami, FL - posted August 8

Responsible for managing asset protection programs designed to minimize shrink, associate and customer liability accidents, bad check and cash loss, and safety incidents for stores within assigned region. This position will develop the framework for the groups' response to critical incidents, investigative needs, safety concerns and regulatory agency visits...
 



Featured Jobs

To apply to any of today's Featured Jobs, Click Here


 

 


 

Advertisement

 

Advertisement


 

Advertisement


 

Advertisement


 


Interesting how the social dynamics of a small industry mirror, somewhat, the same social dynamics of a family, with the holidays and conferences almost being one in the same, where we're excited to visit with old friends and colleagues, yet cautious about the battle lines business and careers at times necessitate or cause. At the end of the day, it's all about doing what's right for the industry, adding value, helping people, and continuing to help evolve the industry. And while each executive has their individual agendas, it's important to remember that we are all part of one industry and we all share one goal - to guide, nurture, and evolve it.


Just a Thought,
Gus




 

Post Your Tip or Advice!
(content subject to approval)


 



TMA 2023 OPSTech
October 8-12

ISC East 2023
November 14-16

See More Events


Recruiting?

Get your job e-mailed to everyone... everyday
Post on our Featured Jobs Board!


 

Not getting the Daily?
Is it ending up in your spam folder?
Please make sure to add d-ddaily@downing-downing.com to your contact list, address book, trusted sender list, and/or company whitelist to ensure you receive our newsletter. 
Want to know how? Read Here
 

SUBSCRIBE
FEEDBACK
www.downing-downing.com
Advertise With The D&D Daily


36615 Vine Street, Suite 103
Willoughby, OH 44094
440.942.0671
copyright 2009-2019
all rights reserved globally