Retail Under Fire: Why Hackers Love Shopping Season

As holiday shopping ramps up, cybercriminals view retailers as prime targets—ramping up phishing campaigns, point-of-sale malware, and supply-chain attacks to exploit the seasonal surge in transactions. The article exposes how attackers leverage social engineering around popular promotions and trackless mobile payments to infiltrate networks undetected. With retail cybersecurity budgets often lagging behind the explosive growth of e-commerce, merchants must adopt proactive threat-hunting and zero-trust architectures to stay ahead of evolving criminal strategies.

Techspective

Walmart on Edge: Second Stabbing in a Week Sparks Urgent Safety Questions

A routine shopping trip turned violent when a man allegedly assaulted a customer with a knife inside an Alpine Township Walmart, leaving bystanders in shock. Quick action by store security and responding officers led to the suspect’s arrest without further injuries. The incident underscores growing concerns over in-store safety and has prompted Walmart to review its emergency response protocols and staff training.

FOX17 News

Prop 36 'greatest thing that's happened,' leads to 50% drop in retail theft

Since implementing California’s Proposition 36 diversion program, River Park’s retail district has seen a dramatic 50% reduction in shoplifting incidents, according to local law enforcement. The initiative redirects first-time, non‐violent offenders into treatment instead of jail, easing the burden on courts while addressing underlying issues like addiction and poverty. Merchants report not only fewer losses but also improved community relations as offenders receive support rather than punishment.

ABC30 News

Bridging Cyber and Physical: A Unified Security Strategy for AI-Powered Retail Infrastructure

AI-driven retail systems rely on powerful hardware in data centers and edge closets—spaces that often lack robust physical security amidst rapid hardware turnover. By uniting IT security’s cyber defenses with Loss Prevention/Asset Protection’s physical oversight—through shared access controls, real-time monitoring, and joint response plans—retailers close gaps bad actors exploit. Treating cyber and physical safeguards as one mission ensures both digital insights and the hardware enabling them stay protected.

TalkLPnews

Counterfeit Goods Surge, Retailers Deploy High-Tech Defenses

Counterfeit products are bleeding the retail sector of an estimated $500 billion annually, with luxury labels, electronics, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics bearing the brunt of sophisticated knock‐offs in stores and online. To combat this, brands like LVMH are embedding NFC tags in high‐end goods and major retailers are piloting blockchain provenance systems, while global enforcement actions by Interpol and the International Trademark Association target fake‐goods networks. Despite these efforts, experts warn that counterfeiters continually evolve, making cross‐industry collaboration and integrated anti‐fraud technologies essential for protecting consumers and preserving brand value.

TalkLPnews

And the Award Goes to… Everyone.

There’s a moment at the Grammy’s every year when a musician wins an award, walks on stage, clutches the mic and delivers the same teary-eyed speech we’ve all heard before. And then, 90 seconds later, someone else gets up and does the exact same thing. Over and over. For three hours.

But you keep watching anyway - half out of habit, half hoping Taylor Swift shows up, wins everything, and performs All Too Well… the 10-minute version.

I digress.

At some point, some may stop feeling anything. Not because the winners don’t matter, but because nearly everyone is winning something. And lately, some say it’s starting to feel a lot like that in our industry, too.

And before you say it… yes, I know what you’re thinking.

(Full disclosure: I’ve never won an industry award. So no, this isn’t about sour grapes. It’s just noticing that many industry professionals feel that what used to be a rare spotlight now feels like an industry-wide group hug.)

Let's be honest. I've been in this game long enough to recognize the formula. Dinners, plaques, polite applause, smiling photo ops. It was once a celebration of excellence. Now, it can sometimes seem like an endless river of LinkedIn-approved confetti.

It starts with good intentions. Recognize excellence. Celebrate innovation. Shine a light on the people who make real impacts in LP and safety. But somewhere along the way, some feel the shine may have worn off.

And now? It’s hard for some people to tell the difference between a genuine achievement… and a LinkedIn humblebrag for showing up.

Makes me wonder if we’ve perhaps created an awards culture where everyone gets a trophy? There’s an award for that project. An award for that panel. An award for “leadership” that may or may not involve actually leading anything. An award for being part of a group that created another award.

And sure, most LP professionals understand the vast majority of these folks have absolutely earned the recognition. Most have made this industry better, stronger, and safer in very meaningful ways. They deserve the spotlight. And that can’t be overstated. We need to celebrate those people. The ones whose work not only speaks louder than their titles but drives real impact without chasing the stage.

But many believe that far too often, these awards aren’t about merit. They’re about politics, loyalty, and giving something to someone who hasn’t won one yet.

If this is true, then it’s not excellence. It’s professional back scratching.

What happens if we reward everyone? We would be diluting the value of recognition altogether. We would be making the truly deserving recipients blend into a chorus of “me too” applause. We would turn what should be a rare spotlight into background noise. And, we would be confusing younger professionals about what excellence even looks like.

The result? A system where being celebrated means less than being visible.

And visibility, believe it or not, can often be more about access and connections than contribution. This may become a perception problem. This may also become a problem of principle. We may be unintentionally eroding the trust of those we should be inspiring when we reward social proximity over performance.

What If There’s a Better Way?

We should all make sure we stop conflating performance with politics. We need to be certain we aren’t handing out awards like they’re loyalty points. Recognition shouldn’t trickle down from the top. Rather, it should rise up from the people doing the real work.

Imagine if the most powerful recognition in this industry didn’t come from a trophy or a glossy plaque… but from a peer who took the time to say, “Hey, I saw what you did. It mattered.”  Real recognition, from you to them and from peer to peer.

You want to change the industry? Don’t wait for a nomination. Uplift someone who’s doing the work. Someone who would never expect it. Someone who isn’t on stage, on a board, or a council, but who shows up every. damn. day.

One real story at a time. You in?

We all have someone in our world who goes unrecognized.
You’ve watched them go the extra mile, probably without ever being asked.
They won’t tell their own stories.  But we will.   Submit a worthy story here:

Binghamton Police: Man Tried to Kidnap Girl From Price Chopper

A Binghamton man has been accused of attempting to abduct an 8-year-old girl from a Price Chopper supermarket.

Police were sent to the store at 10 Glenwood Avenue around 6:15 p.m. to investigate an assault and possible attempted kidnapping.

When officers arrived at the Price Chopper, they discovered that people had detained the suspect.

WNBF

4 ways retailers are adopting AI, robotics, and other new tech in 2025

There have been seismic shifts in how people shop. Customers seek even more convenience, faster transactions, and a personalized shopping experience. 

However, data shows that retailers are struggling to meet these consumer needs. According to a 2024 IBM study, only 9% of consumers reported being satisfied with their in-store shopping experiences, while just 14% expressed satisfaction with online shopping.

This is where artificial intelligence has begun to fill the gap. Retailers are rapidly turning to AI-driven technologies to enhance the shopping experience and address these key pain points. 

KPVI

What if vending machines could think? The bold future of retail is smarter than you imagine

RTIH

The Losses of Pushout Theft

Pushout theft is a gloomy reality for all retailers. Ignoring pushout theft will inevitably lead to the large potential losses a retailer will obtain through harmed employees & customers, time, and merchandise.

These loss types all have a negative impact on a retailer’s bottom line and public image.

For every pushout theft, there is a certain degree of risk to store employee and customer safety. The risk varies depending on a pushout shoplifter’s determination to steal unpaid merchandise and not being caught by loss prevention and/or police officers. Gatekeeper Systems, a leader in anti-pushout theft, found that in 2024 over 18% of pushout thefts ended in violence.

​

When a violent pushout theft happens, the retailer can be financially obligated to assist the harmed customer and/or employee. Even with an in-store employee policy of not interacting with a shoplifter the risk of harm is still ever-present. Furthermore, harmed employees and customers promote the public image of an unsafe retail environment. This can cause environmental stress deterring customers from shopping and employees wanting to work.

The Global Retail Threat: Why Low-Risk Data is the New High-Value Target

For decades, cybersecurity strategies in retail have focused on protecting data that's visibly sensitive.

Credit card numbers, personal identifiers, and financial records have traditionally been at the center of security policies. These assets are clearly defined, heavily regulated, and central to compliance.

However, the threat landscape is no longer confined to these data types. Increasingly, data once seen as low priority such as browsing patterns, loyalty program activity, location trails, and engagement histories is being exploited for strategic advantage.

TotalRetail

Woman killed outside AutoZone in Bedford: What we know

Bedford police are investigating after a woman was shot and killed outside an AutoZone store on Monday morning.

According to Bedford Deputy Police Chief Rick Suts, the shooting happened around 10 a.m. at the store on Broadway Avenue. 

Officials say a woman was shot in the chest and taken by Bedford fire to South Pointe Hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.

WKYC

Amazon announces new job cuts affecting hundreds in THIS major unit

After laying off several employees in its AWS division, Amazon is once again undergoing a major restructuring – this time it is limited to its audio business. The fresh set of layoffs is expected to see approximately 110 employees within its Wondery podcast division.

The restructuring, which was announced in an internal memo by Steve Boom, Amazon’s VP of Audio, Twitch, and Games, is part of a broader strategy to streamline operations and adapt to a rapidly shifting podcast landscape.

FE techbytes

Head of Loss Prevention - Citi Trends

As Head of Loss Prevention, you will serve as a key member of the Citi Trends leadership team responsible for designing and executing an enterprise-wide asset protection strategy. This role will lead the charge in reducing shrink, managing safety and crisis protocols, and mitigating risk across our chain—particularly in high-theft, high-risk store and distribution center environments. The successful candidate will bring an in-depth understanding of loss prevention plus a blend of analytical discipline, people leadership, and field presence to help protect our people, product, and profitability. We are looking to “leapfrog” our capabilities in a rapid growth environment.

OSHA’s Safe + Sound Week 2025 Urges Employers to Prioritize Prevention

OH&S

When Video Investigates Itself: The Rise of GenAI with March Networks' Jeff Corrall

Video tools aren't just evolving: they're getting smarter. Once limited to passive recording, video systems are now emerging as intelligent tools capable of detecting threats in real time, interpreting human behavior, and even predicting incidents before they occur.

In this week's episode of SecurityDNA, host Steve Lasky sits down with March Networks Chief Product Officer Jeff Corrall to explore one of the most transformative forces in video surveillance today—generative AI.

Brought to you by March Networks