Survey Finds Security Mandates, Not Tools, Linked to Less Attack Spread at Retail Chains
Summary
A VikingCloud survey of 200 U.S. and European retail and franchise security leaders found attacks often spread across locations. Corporate security mandates were linked to less spread, while many material incidents went unreported to executives.
Key points
- 86% of respondents said their chains were attacked in the past year; 77% of those attacks spread beyond the initial location.
- None of the 13 measured security technologies, nor real-time visibility, was linked to less attack spread.
- Attacks spread in 64% of cases where a corporate security mandate was in place, compared with 89% without one.
- Among mixed and franchise operators, companies with a mandate were three times as likely to report that an attack stayed at its starting point.
- 91% said at least one material incident in the past year did not reach executive leadership or the board; 43% said five or more went unreported.
- The survey found 80% of chains open locations before central monitoring and enforcement reach them.
Article Details
- Publisher
- VikingCloud survey, reported by Help Net Security
- Report Period
- Past year relative to the survey
- Scope
- Security and IT leaders at U.S. and European multi-location retail and franchise chains
- Sample Size
- 200 security and IT leaders
- Key Statistics
- 86% of respondents said their chain was attacked in the past year.
- Among attacked respondents, 77% said attacks spread beyond the original location.
- 80% of chains open a location before central monitoring and enforcement reach it.
- 91% said at least one material incident in the past year never reached executive leadership or the board.
- Where a corporate security mandate was in place, 64% of attacks spread beyond their starting point, compared with 89% without a mandate.
- Recommendations
- Assign a named owner and require sign-off before a new location opens to close the opening-day monitoring and enforcement gap.