Retailers Need Better Security, Privacy Protection

A new survey shows that a majority of U.S. consumers will think twice about shopping at a retail store that was a victim of a cyber-attack. Two of their biggest worries when online are security and downloading malware. The study, commissioned by Arbor Networks, finds that U.S. consumers are holding businesses to a high standard to protect their personal information, yet many haven't taken the basic steps to protect themselves from cyber-attacks. The survey of 2,057 American adults shows that they use poor online security practices and that the worst offenders are millennials. These findings are a wake-up call for retailers—if they haven't already implemented a strong cyber-security plan that ensures their customers' online safety when shopping. Solution providers can help with a range of products and services that include adding distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack protection and installing security information and event management (SIEM) monitoring, along with the basics such as firewalls and spam filters. Here are key survey takeaways that reveal high anxiety among Americans about their online safety and the need for IT security services.