Know Your Enemy: 5 Digital Threats We Actually Face

  1. Stolen Credentials / Password Reuse- Hackers often reuse stolen usernames and passwords from past data leaks to access customer accounts or internal systems. Verizon’s 2025 Data Breach Investigations Report shows that credential abuse is still one of the most common ways attackers break in.
  2. Bot Attacks / Account Takeover (ATO)- Automated bots can test thousands of username and password combinations per minute to hijack accounts or test stolen credit cards in our online store. Since retailers are easy targets for this type of attack, it’s important for us to have tools that detect and block bot activity before it causes damage.
  3. Ransomware / Double Extortion- Ransomware attackers usually enter through phishing emails or outdated software. Once inside, they encrypt our files and demand payment to unlock them. Recently, groups like “Play” have used new double-extortion tactics, threatening to leak stolen data unless the ransom is paid. CISA’s #StopRansomware guide outlines modern tactics and how to prepare for these situations.
  4. Business Email Compromise (BEC) / Phishing / Social Engineering- This threat happens when employees are tricked by fake emails that look real. The attacker might pretend to be a vendor or manager asking for urgent payments or sensitive data. Because our business deals with many vendors and payments, one careless click could cost us a lot.
  5. E-Skimming / Magecart-Style Attacks- Hackers can secretly insert malicious code into online checkout pages to steal customer credit card numbers. This often happens through infected third-party plugins or tracking scripts. It’s a growing problem for e-commerce stores that don’t regularly monitor their web code for tampering.

Know Yourself: What We Run and How It Could Be Targeted

Here are the main systems our company uses every day, and how attackers might try to exploit them:

System / Process How It Works How It Could Be Exploited
POS Systems (In-Store Registers) Used for processing payments, managing inventory, and connecting to the back office. If systems aren’t updated or separated from the main network, malware like RAM scrapers can steal card data.
E-Commerce Website & APIs Customers order, pay, and track shipments online. Weak access controls or exposed API keys could give hackers access to customer data or allow them to inject harmful code.
Employee Email & Cloud Apps (Microsoft 365 / Google Workspace) Used for company communication, billing, and file sharing. Phishing emails could compromise accounts, giving attackers access to internal files or financial systems.
Payment Processing & PCI Environment We handle customer payments through secure providers. If card data is stored or logged on our own systems, it could violate PCI standards and increase risk of a breach.
Third-Party Integrations / Plugins / Scripts We use shipping APIs, loyalty apps, analytics, and marketing scripts. A compromised vendor or plugin could allow hackers to inject code or access our checkout page.

Develop Your Strategy: 5 Recommendations

Here are five steps I would take as our tech lead to protect the company and build stronger cybersecurity habits:

  1. Lock Down Logins & Identity (MFA + Least Privilege)- We need multi-factor authentication (MFA) on all systems, from admin dashboards to employee email. Access should be limited so everyone only has the permissions they actually need. We can also set up alerts for unusual login activity, like someone signing in from two countries within an hour.
  2. Network Segmentation & Endpoint Defenses- Our in-store registers should run on a separate network that can’t connect to office computers. Every company device, computers, registers, and servers, should have updated antivirus and endpoint detection software. Keeping everything patched regularly helps close common security holes.
  3. Protect the Checkout Page & Scripts- We should use a Content Security Policy (CSP) to control which scripts can run on our site. Checkout pages should use hosted payment forms so customer card data never touches our servers. Regular scans and change monitoring will help catch any hidden code or suspicious activity.
  4. Minimize and Secure PCI Scope (Tokenization / P2PE)- Using tokenization and point-to-point encryption (P2PE) ensures that real card numbers never get stored in our systems. We should also start following PCI DSS v4.0 standards now, especially the ones that become mandatory next year and schedule regular security scans and penetration tests.
  5. Plan for the Worst (Backups + Response Drills)- Following the “3-2-1” backup rule (three copies of data, two types of storage, one offline) will protect us if we ever face ransomware. We should also test our backups regularly and create a detailed incident response plan so everyone knows what to do if something goes wrong.

References (APA 7th Edition)

  1. CISA. (2025). #StopRansomware guide. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. https://www.cisa.gov/resources-tools/resources/stopransomware-guide
  2. Descope. (2025). Credential security trends report 2025. Descope. https://www.descope.com
  3. Federal Bureau of Investigation Internet Crime Complaint Center. (2025). 2025 Internet crime report. https://www.ic3.gov
  4. HALOCK Security Labs. (2025). PCI DSS 4.0 readiness overview. HALOCK. https://www.halock.com
  5. PCI Perspectives. (2025). Preparing for PCI DSS 4.0 future-dated requirements. PCI Security Standards Council. https://blog.pcisecuritystandards.org
  6. Qualys. (2025). Cyber threat landscape overview 2025. Qualys, Inc. https://www.qualys.com
  7. Secureframe. (2025). PCI DSS 4.0 compliance guide. Secureframe. https://secureframe.com
  8. Verizon. (2025). 2025 Data breach investigations report (DBIR). Verizon Business. https://www.verizon.com/business/resources/reports/dbir/