Why Your C-Suite Might Be the Biggest Security Risk You’re Ignoring

In today's digital landscape, corporate executives are increasingly targeted by cybercriminals employing sophisticated tactics such as doxxing, phishing, and AI-driven impersonation. These attacks not only threaten personal safety but also jeopardize sensitive corporate assets, including strategic plans and intellectual property. The convergence of personal and professional digital footprints has expanded the attack surface, making traditional security measures insufficient. To counter these evolving threats, organizations must adopt proactive, intelligence-led strategies that encompass both digital and physical security measures. Solutions like Nisos' Executive Shield offer comprehensive protection by identifying vulnerabilities, monitoring for threats, and mitigating risks before they escalate. 

Security Boulevard

Retail Risk Outlook 2025

The 2025 Retail Risk Outlook offers essential guidance for navigating a rapidly evolving legal and regulatory environment. Key themes include stricter rules on green claims, price transparency under the DMCC Act, tariff shifts, and employment law changes like minimum wage increases and the Employment Rights Bill. Despite these challenges, the report highlights opportunities in AI, net-zero strategies, and tech adoption—urging retailers to stay proactive and plan strategically for a confident path forward.

TLT

Big cities across US report decrease in violent crime during first quarter

Violent crime saw a sharp decline across 68 major U.S. cities in the first quarter of 2025, with assaults down 11%, robberies nearly 20%, and homicides dropping more than 20%, according to the Major Cities Chiefs Association. While the Trump administration credited its "America First" law enforcement policies, cities like Albuquerque, San Antonio, and San Francisco pointed to local investments in crime-fighting technology, targeted policing, and community engagement as key drivers of improvement. However, not all regions saw progress—Fort Worth, Houston, and Kansas City reported significant spikes in homicides, underscoring the need for city-specific strategies to sustain and expand public safety gains.

Washington Examiner

Exclusive Q&A: Tractor Supply Spills the Tea on AI, Tariffs, and Tackling Supply Chain Chaos

Tractor Supply Company is betting big on AI and automation to fuel its nationwide expansion to 3,200 stores by 2030. A new high-tech distribution center in Idaho will boost speed and efficiency, while AI-driven forecasting and inventory tools are already transforming how the retailer moves product. As tariffs shift and supply chains evolve, Tractor Supply’s data-powered strategy may be the blueprint for future-proofing retail logistics.

Chain Store Age

The DOJ Just Made Your Customer Data a National Security Issue—Here’s What That Means

The clock is ticking for U.S. businesses handling sensitive personal and government-related data: by July 8, 2025, they must comply with the DOJ’s sweeping new Data Security Program—or face severe penalties, including up to $1 million in fines and 20 years in prison for willful violations. Designed to block foreign adversaries from accessing U.S. data, the DSP drastically raises the bar on cybersecurity expectations, even for companies outside the traditional defense sector. With enforcement just weeks away, organizations must act now to review their data flows, secure their systems, and prove their compliance—or risk becoming the DOJ’s next headline.

Corporate Compliance Insights

AI Won't Save You

Amber Bradley
Editor-in-Chief
TalkLPnews
amber@talklpnews.com

Here’s the inevitable article about AI… it only took a few months. So much to say about the fantastic uses of Artificial Intelligence (AI). It was refreshing to host a podcast with the CEO of Solink, Mike Matta, and their in-house retail expert Cathy Langley recently where we talked about the ACTUAL uses for AI in the retail environment. It’s honestly been exhausting talking in the ethos about how AI will change loss prevention for the better.

BUT… call me old school if you want, and maybe I am… but I don’t believe (and will never believe) that AI will replace our good ole fashioned brains or gut. While we are definitely developing valuable ways to use AI, it won’t save you.

“No duh, Amber.”

My point is our brains are a collection of an estimated 86 billion neurons, intricately connected in a network, far more complex than the internet. Neurons pass messages like telephone wires, shooting electrical impulses at speeds up to 290 kilometers (180 miles) per hour (thank you Psychology Now for the stats). We’re still smarter than AI but my contention is, only if we continue to value learning and trust our own intuition.

If you’re counting on AI to be your sole brainiac partner, you might want to consider these reasons to take a step back:

• AI lacks human experiences, which are essential for deeper understanding.
• Critical thinking requires personal reflection, which AI cannot replicate.
• Creativity stems from human emotions and experiences, not algorithms.
• Emotional intelligence is vital for interpersonal relationships and cannot be mimicked by AI.
• Dependence on AI may lead to complacency in independent thought.
• AI systems can be biased based on their training data, impacting decision-making.
• Over-reliance on AI can create a digital divide, leaving some behind.
• Human judgment is essential for navigating moral and ethical dilemmas.
• Learning involves trial and error, which AI does not engage in like humans.
• The dynamic nature of human problem-solving is often context-dependent, something AI struggles with.

And these are just the reasons that AI came up with for not relying on AI.

Go figure.

Are you still learning?

What’s the latest book you’ve read (or listened to), conference or webinar you’ve attended? Podcast? I have some good recommendations. There are endless subjects that might just spark an idea for your most recent challenge that you’ve been stuck on for weeks. Let your brain take a break from your everyday routine. Research shows these are the moments that our brains are the most creative and can solve problems the fastest.

Honestly, the fact you're receiving and reading the Retail Rundown means: you're a pretty active learner!  What about your team?  Share the Rundown with them by forwarding and asking them to subscribe here. (self-serving plug done)

Researchers once thought that brain cell regeneration was impossible. Now we know that even in adults there are stem cells capable of creating new neurons. The more we stimulate our brain, the more neurons we create. How many neurons have you created this week?

Do you have a different take? Or more to add?  Let us know by emailing Amber here.  We'll run your comments Monday.

The evolution of payments in retail and the rising importance of security

Retail Customer Experience

 FTC Accuses Amazon of Playing Legal Games to Avoid Oversight

Federal regulators have accused Amazon of deliberately concealing incriminating evidence in an ongoing antitrust case by abusing privilege claims. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) said Amazon wrongly withheld nearly 70,000 documents, withdrawing 92% of its claims after a judge forced a re-review.

The FTC claims Amazon marked non-legal documents as privileged to keep them from scrutiny.

Internal emails suggest staff were told to mislabel communications by including legal teams unnecessarily.

One email reportedly called former CEO Jeff Bezos the ‘chief dark arts officer,’ referring to questionable Prime subscription tactics.

Digital Watch

Former Ford employee ran criminal operation involving car parts stolen off the assembly line, police say

FOX2 Detroit

POS Connect: The Power of Video and Transaction Data

POS Connect in OpenEye Web Services reduces shrink, improves customer service, and streamlines investigations by combining your point-of-sale data with the power of video verification.

With POS Connect, you’ll receive a complete picture of every transaction in your workplace. Notice something suspicious? Our robust platform offers customizable search capabilities to quickly locate events of interest. Just as important, you’ll also have the tools to put this information in the right hands for further investigation.
Unlock the Advantages of POS Monitoring with POS Connect Point-of-sale data is some of the most valuable data intelligence businesses have.

Records of transactions provide crucial insights into what is and isn’t working for your company, and receipt data can get you that. This is why POS monitoring is so vital for organizations everywhere. Having a real-time, searchable stream of transactions can be just the edge many businesses need to boost their workplace operations. But while your POS system may reflect what was purchased, it might not be giving you the full picture. 
This is where POS Connect comes in. By integrating your security video with your POS system, business owners can streamline their monitoring and get a better understanding of what’s happening during transactions.

There are many benefits to POS Connect:

1.    Increase Business Intelligence
One of the greatest benefits of POS Connect is an increase in business intelligence. All the transactional data coming from a POS system is valuable, and when combined with video, that information becomes even more complex. POS Connect offers a way to interpret that data and see what factors are affecting your customers’ purchases.

2.    Video Verification
Receipt data without any visual insights into those transactions can leave you with a major blind spot in your security. Because of that, video verification, or being able to see what’s happening during every purchase or refund, is another one of the primary benefits of POS Connect. Business owners can see how employees are handling transactions and where help may be needed around your company.

3.    Customizable Search
The hundreds or potentially thousands of transactions that occur in a given month through a point-of-sale system make the task of sorting that much more daunting. Even when combined with video, it can still be difficult to find exactly what you’re looking for if you must review each transaction individually. Luckily, POS Connect offers the ability to easily search through the many transactions present in your system.

4.    Transaction Alerts
Receiving real-time transaction alerts can help lay the groundwork for better business intelligence, which in turn can help you identify costly problems of fraud, operator error, or poor customer experiences. POS Connect allows you to customize alerts so you can keep an eye out for tactics or behaviors that often lead to transaction discrepancies.

5.    Streamline Investigations
Investigations can be slow processes, so identifying any bottlenecks on your end can help speed everything up if law enforcement is involved. Customizable search with POS Connect can help with this, as well as the ability to quickly export security video and transaction data in OpenEye Web Services and send it over to any parties that will need it.

Want Better Performance? Start by Rethinking Workplace Safety

At a Workplace Safety conference, industry leaders emphasized that safety goes beyond physical protections, it includes creating psychological, emotional, and social security so workers feel empowered to speak up and perform at their best.

Bamberger described a strong workplace as one where employees feel safe, significant, and situated. 

Northern Ontario Business

New Bill Aims to Stop Gift Card Scammers at the Checkout

Legislation (H.B. 1067) that would help people avoid falling victim to gift card scams was reported out of the Commerce Committee this week.

Gift cards have become a widespread way for scammers to defraud customers.

Gift cards are easy to almost impossible to track and allow fraudsters to quickly move money on them, making them a popular payment method demanded by scammers.

PA House

Home Depot Quietly Scrubs DEI Content—What Does This Mean?

Home Depot quietly took down its public-facing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) page from its website.

This is a move that comes as more companies face pressure from the Trump administration to scale back or eliminate DEI efforts altogether.

In a written statement, Home Depot spokesperson Sarah McDonald didn’t directly address the removal of the DEI language but stressed the company’s values in a general sense.

Daily Dot

Responsibility for overseeing the planning, execution, and reporting of all internal audit activities. This role conducts enterprise-wide and targeted risk assessments to identify audit opportunities, develops audit frameworks and guidelines, and leads audit engagements from kickoff to reporting.

The position provides strategic insights to the Executive Committee and Board of Directors, evaluates process and control effectiveness, and ensures compliance with company policies. Additional responsibilities include managing third-party audit providers, participating in key company initiatives to assess risk and control impact, and developing training plans for audit team members. Flexibility and adaptability to evolving duties are essential.

Amazon vs. Walmart: The Robot Showdown That's Reshaping Retail

Competition comes best in twos. Think Apple and Microsoft, Coke and Pepsi, McDonald’s and Burger King and many other famous pairings.

It’s because a dose of healthy competition ultimately benefits the end consumer, and nowhere can this be seen more clearly than in the ongoing battle between retail titans Walmart and Amazon.

The two mega retailers have evolved far beyond price wars and delivery speed, although those twin pillars remain key goals, and competition today plays out across artificial intelligence (AI), automation and robotics, and omnichannel ecosystems.

PYMNTS

Retailers Are Racing to Embrace AI—Here’s How to Stay Ahead

To unlock the full potential of artificial intelligence, retailers need a strategy in place to guide their efforts.

The race to adopt artificial intelligence has begun, and powerful tech leaders from Amazon, Google and NVIDIA have all embraced its power.

Right now, the retail sector ranks second among industries worldwide in its spending on AI, according to IDC.

Retailers are expanding the set of use cases for how AI can help with supply chain issues, staffing shortages and customer service.

Biz Tech