Everon Whitepaper

A Layered Approach to Securing Retail Entrances Against Theft

Retailers across the nation are feeling the strain and profit loss attributed to a rise in external theft hitting their stores. Taking an active role in layering technology and updating policies and procedures can help retailers stem the flow of activity and risk.

Shoplifting has been around as long as shopping itself. What changes over the years is the methods deployed by the thieves and the magnitude of the issue for retailers’ bottom lines. As reported by a number of industry associations, security suppliers and retailers, the COVID-19 pandemic has played a significant role in increasing the frequency of more violent types of crimes.

While no one solution or even combination of solutions will completely eradicate shoplifting from our society, taking an active role in layering technology and updating policies and procedures can help retailers stem the flow of activity and risk. Active prevention methods such as signage, visible camera technologies and public view monitors, along with solutions designed to modify consumer behavior, can have an impact on deterring crime across the retail industry.

Shoplifting, organized retail crime and social media-driven theft impacts everyone—from the consumer to the retailer and the communities where they operate—so a coordinated effort between retailers, their security partners and law enforcement is an essential first step.

To learn how Everon's retail security professionals can help create a safe shopping environment and minimize shrink in your stores, discover our comprehensive security, fire, and life safety solutions below.

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Retailers are under more pressure than ever to prevent theft, ensure employee safety and maintain business continuity across stores. Criminal activities are on the rise, and they can severely disrupt operations, leading to financial losses and a tarnished reputation. Workplace security not only safeguards assets and sensitive information but also protects employees and visitors, fostering a safe and productive environment.

Hiring off-duty law enforcement is a proven way to level up your retail security strategy. Off-duty personnel are uniquely positioned to deter criminal activities, respond swiftly in emergencies and provide an added layer of protection. By integrating off-duty law enforcement into your security strategy, you can create a safer, more secure workplace environment.

Protos Security's workplace security blog explores ways that off-duty law enforcement can benefit retailers and increase workplace safety by:

• Creating Safer Store Environments: Law enforcement provides a strong visual deterrent and offers peace of mind to both employees and shoppers.

• Deterring Theft and Workplace Threats: Regular patrols, surveillance and expert situational awareness reduce the risk of crime before it starts.

• Responding Swiftly to Emergencies: Off-duty law enforcement react quickly to high-stress situations, minimizing harm and restoring order with calm precision.

When you need trained law enforcement, Protos Security offers second- to-none coverage through the nation’s largest off-duty law enforcement network. With 60,000 off-duty personnel and more than 1,400 agencies, we provide expertise when and where you need it.

Want to reduce shrink, strengthen operations and keep your workplace secure?

Cybercrime Group That Targeted Retailers Continues to Unleash Attacks
FBI, CISA warn about Scattered Spider’s evolving tactics

International authorities are pursuing the group following the arrests of four suspects in a series of attacks targeting British retailers.

The FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) on Tuesday released an updated advisory about the cybercrime collective Scattered Spider, warning that the group continues to unleash a wave of cyberattacks around the world using several new intrusion techniques.

The notorious gang has expanded its targeting in recent months to include retailers, insurers and airlines in multiple countries. Although it has focused primarily on targets in the U.K. and the U.S., the group recently caught the attention of Canadian and Australian authorities, which co-signed the new advisory along with the U.K.

Scattered Spider “represents a serious and ongoing threat to U.S. organizations, using sophisticated social engineering and intrusion tactics to disrupt operations and extort victims,” the four governments warned. “Their activities have impacted multiple sectors and underscore the continued risk ransomware poses to national security and economic stability.”

Scattered Spider has conducted social-engineering attacks by tricking IT help-desk workers into handing over credentials or otherwise bypassing multifactor authentication, allowing them to gain direct access to targeted systems.

The group has used a range of techniques, according to the new government advisory, including phishing, “push bombing” (blitzing targets with multifactor-authentication push alerts until they eventually approve one) and SIM-swapping attacks. cybersecuritydive.com

   RELATED: What we know about the cybercrime group Scattered Spider


Making Cybersecurity a Priority in the Boardroom
Translating Cyber-Risk for the Boardroom

When security leaders embrace this truth and learn to speak in the language of leadership, they don't just protect the enterprise, they help lead it forward.

Cybersecurity is no longer just a technical problem in today's fast-evolving threat landscape, where cyberattacks are growing more frequent, sophisticated, and publicly damaging. Instead, it's an issue that demands enterprisewide alignment.

Yet, many chief information security officers (CISOs) still find themselves speaking a technical language that fails to resonate with other leaders. Technical terms often fall flat in boardrooms more concerned with revenue growth and brand reputation. This disconnect is becoming increasingly risky as cyber incidents now directly affect stock prices, customer trust, and executive job security. Plus, boards are being held accountable and personally liable for cyber-risks. CISOs can no longer afford to communicate in technical silos; they must create strategic partners, clearly connecting cybersecurity to business outcomes and informing board members of their fiduciary responsibilities.

Why Cyber-Risk Doesn't Always Land

Despite growing awareness, many executive teams still struggle to understand the business relevance of technical threats. When CISOs present detailed threat matrices, patching schedules, or vulnerability scans to the board, they risk overwhelming non-technical stakeholders and losing their influence.

Without connecting risk to a potential business disruption, such as delayed customer transactions or compliance penalties, the message gets lost altogether. This was a pain point echoed by security leaders across industries at 2025's RSAC Conference — technical expertise isn't enough anymore. As security leaders, we are expected to clearly articulate business impact, influence culture, and align security strategy with enterprise goals. darkreading.com


Growing & Evolving Online Threats
FBI alerts tie together threats of cybercrime, physical violence from The Com

Officials said thousands of people, typically between 11 and 25 years old, are engaged in a growing and evolving online threat to commit crime for money, retaliation, ideology, sexual gratification and notoriety.

The FBI released a trove of research on The Com last week, warning that the sprawling cybercriminal network of minors and young adults is growing rapidly and splintering into three primary subsets described by officials as Hacker Com, In Real Life Com and Extortion Com.

The warnings lay out how The Com’s thousands of members, typically between 11 and 25 years old, pose a rising threat, especially to youth online, the FBI said. Criminal acts committed by these multiple, interconnected networks include swatting, extortion and sextortion of minors, production and distribution of child sexual abuse material, violent crime and various other cybercrimes, the bureau said.

“The motivations behind the criminal activity vary, but often fall within one of the following: financial gain, retaliation, ideology, sexual gratification and notoriety,” the FBI said in a public service announcement.

Crimes attributed to members of The Com have grown increasingly complex, with perpetrators going to great lengths to mask identities, hide financial transactions and launder money. The Com generally targets young and impressionable people for recruitment on gaming sites and social media platforms to indoctrinate them into their ideology, officials said. cyberscoop.com


Why CISOs should rethink identity risk through attack paths

The food supply chain has a cybersecurity problem

Sacramento County, CA: Serial thief took hundreds of tools from stores and sold them at a swap meet; $70,000
A 32-year-old man was arrested after stealing merchandise worth thousands of dollars from Lowe’s and Home Depot while on pre-trial probation, according to the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office. SCSO said Organized Retail Theft Investigators from Lowe’s and Home Depot contacted deputies in May about a series of shoplifting incidents. Sacramento Sheriff Organized Retail Crimes detectives identified the suspect as 32-year-old Tyson Renowden of Sacramento County. He was arrested by the Lincoln Police Department on felony theft charges and later released with an ankle monitor on pre-trial probation. According to SCSO, Renowden continued to commit thefts at the hardware stores between June 4 and July 28, throughout the region, over 100 additional times.  fox40.com


La Grange, NC: Trio wanted for attempted La Grange gun store burglary
Deputies in Lenoir County are asking for your help after three people tried to get inside a gun store Sunday morning. Three people were caught on surveillance video trying to break into First Light Guns & Ammo on North Caswell Street in La Grange. They say the trio left in an older model gold or tan SUV that was parked behind Bill’s Grill. All three men were wearing face coverings and gloves.  witn.com


Fairfax County, VA: Man charged with string of Kratom thefts
A 23-year-old man accused of breaking into five businesses across the Fairfax area to steal kratom was arrested last week, the Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) said Wednesday. Authorities charged David Elliot, of Fairfax, with five counts of burglary in connection with the break-ins, which took place near Kings Park West in Fairfax County and across the City of Fairfax. The security company reported that surveillance cameras captured an unknown person breaking into the business and stealing kratom products before fleeing. About two weeks later, shortly after 5 a.m. on July 13, officers responded to the same Star Tobacco for another commercial burglary alarm. At the scene, they discovered that the store’s front door was broken and that someone had once again stolen kratom products. FCPD detectives launched an investigation, and were contacted by the City of Fairfax Police Department soon after for three similar burglaries that took place in Fairfax. After examining the break-ins, detectives concluded that the same unknown person committed all five burglaries.  dcnewsnow.com