Malware, scams e phishing they are just a small part of the many threats that those in the retail sector face. With the period of Black FridayThen, the cybercriminals’ offensives become even more intense and dangerous.
In this turbulent context, there are some platforms that seem to suffer more than others: WhatsApp, Gmail e Google Drive above all, they seem to be the most at risk.
The study of Netskope Threat Labsthrough which some experts compared the risks incurred with respect to cloud services e messaging in various business sectors. The data that emerged are anything but reassuring.
It should be clarified that, through research, it was possible to ascertain that Google Drive, Gmail and WhatsApp are among the top five most popular apps in the sector. In this special ranking OneDrive ranks first in all areas examined.
In terms of risks, however, Microsoft’s cloud platform seems less susceptible than other names. Google ecosystem services are in fact at the top of the list for the number of malware transmitted. Not only that: Google Drive is used by 34% of sellers (a very high percentage if compared with other contexts).
Not least is WhatsApp, the most popular messaging app in the world. This is widely used in the context of commercial collaboration, also resulting in a potentially dangerous platform. Here, in fact, the highest numbers regarding attempts were recorded phishing.
Overall, it is estimated that the 17% of individuals who operate in retail rely on this application in their businesses.
Retail in the sights of cybercriminals: here’s why
Why do cybercriminals target retailers over large companies? The reasons are multiple.
First of all, the transactions are numerous and therefore allow more opportunities for “interception” of sensitive data by cyber criminals. Secondly, many entrepreneurs in the sector are unfamiliar with the IT security.
According to Ray Canzanese, director of Netskope Threat Labs “Attackers exploit cloud apps to fly under the radar and evade traditional security controls that do not inspect such traffic“.
In fact, for many merchants the cloud is an environment considered (erroneously) secure. However, this type of light-heartedness, during the Christmas period, can be an unforgivable lack, with very serious consequences for a large number of commercial activities.
