Data Management

GameStop is the newest data breach victim.    The gaming retailer is investigating reports that hackers may have siphoned credit card and customer data from its website, according to security news firm KrebsonSecurity.   

A new partnership will help retailers make smarter business decisions faster.   Based on a new alliance between IBM Watson and Salesforce, the companies will seamlessly connect their solutions — a move that will enable a new level of intelligent customer engagement across sales, service, marketing, and commerce, among other operations.     

Following a report that said the CIA is capable of breaking into Apple devices, the electronics company is working diligently to fix potential vulnerabilities.   On Tuesday, March 7, the WikiLeaks website said the CIA has an arsenal of malware ready to undermine security and encryption measures on Apple’s iPhones, Mac OS operating system, AirPort routers, according to ReCode.   

Restaurants and retailers around the country continue to be plagued with the threat of cyber-attacks. Target, Eddie Bauer, Walmart, Wendy's, O'Charley's, are just a few of the major brands recently affected by data breaches, leaving millions of consumers' credit card information at risk.  

J.C. Penney Company has added a former senior advisor to the director of the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA), to its board of directors.   Debora Plunkett is joining the Penney board. Possessing extensive experience in cybersecurity, information assurance and innovation in information security, Plunkett has a deep understanding of the data-driven and interconnected world of today, the retailer said.  

Don’t blame it on the technology.   In a blog post on its site, Amazon explained the reason why Amazon Web Services suffered a four-hour outage on Tuesday, one that caused significant problems at numerous Internet sites, including those operated by retailers.   

Columbia Sportswear’s prAna brand has become the industry’s latest cyber-breach victims.   When the lifestyle brand’s e-commerce site was targeted last week, the incident lead Columbia to “immediately launch an investigation and engage a leading third-party cyber security firm to assist us,” Columbia’s CEO Timothy Boyle said on the company’s Q4 2016 earnings call on Feb. 9. “Protecting our customers' information is one of our top priorities and we are taking this very seriously.”

As data breaches become more complex, they leave a lingering, if not lasting imprint on an enterprise.   While there are many factors that play a significant role in data breaches and cybersecurity incidents, the human element remains the top source contributing to cybercrimes, according to the “2017 Data Breach Digest,” from Verizon.  

It seems information security programs are not keeping up with the pace of evolving cyber-threats.   As more companies support Internet of Things (IoT) and bring-your-own-device (BYOD) programs, they become bigger targets to savvy cyber-criminals. This threat grows more serious when 66% of IT security professionals aren't sure how many devices are even in their environment.  

The best way to drive a top-notch in-store experience is to give associates insight into as many real-time data sources as possible.