Retail Cybersecurity Threats: Where You’re Most at Risk—and What You Can Do
Click image above for full infographic.
Retailers are now prime targets for cybercriminals—and our new Retail Security Threat Snapshot infographic lays out the most critical vulnerabilities shaping the threat landscape in 2025.
Read on to learn what the data reveals—and how your organization can respond with practical, retail-specific steps.
Download the infographic now (PDF)
The top 4 cyber threats facing retailers
1. Endpoints: your most exposed entry point
Ransomware attacks on retail surged 83.4% from 2023 to 2024. Most began with unsecured endpoints—like POS systems, laptops, or unmanaged devices. It only takes one to compromise your entire network. (IBM Cost of a Data Breach Report)
2. Credential theft: a daily occurrence
Credential-stealing malware such as Lumma Stealer accounted for over 1 million dark web listings in Q1 2025 alone. Traditional antivirus tools can’t stop stolen credentials from being used. Layered defenses like MFA and credential monitoring are essential. For more details, see Retail’s Quiet Threat: Stolen Credentials and the Dark Web Economy.
3. Surveillance systems: unpatched and unprotected
More than 53.9% of retail surveillance devices contain known vulnerabilities. These exposed, internet-facing systems give attackers easy lateral access to your network. (Verizon DBIR 2024 – Retail Sector Findings)
4. Firewalls: false sense of security
Even the best firewalls can miss 1 in 10 flagged threats. Without active tuning and monitoring, they often become your biggest blind spot. Learn more in A Primer on Firewall Policy Management.
Why managed security isn’t optional anymore
Retailers face billions of security events each month—but only 0.000002% are actual threats. It’s not about seeing everything—it’s about responding to the right things, fast.
The PDI Security Operations Center (SOC) resolves more than 2,000 retail threats monthly, delivering:
- Real-time threat detection
- Rapid incident investigation
- Clear, prioritized response guidance
The outcome? Greater visibility, faster threat response, and a validated defense strategy.
Want to understand how these capabilities scale across industries? Check out MDR and OT: Improving Cybersecurity for Manufacturers—while focused on manufacturing, it highlights the same MDR principles that PDI tailors for complex retail environments.
What’s in the retail threat assessment
This isn’t a sales pitch—it’s a no-cost, expert-led evaluation focused on strengthening your foundational security posture. You’ll assess:
- Visibility: Are you seeing what matters across your environment?
- Protection: Are your defenses current, layered, and monitored?
- Response: Do you have a defined plan and the tools to act?
- Ownership: Who is accountable for cybersecurity across your organization?
At the end, you’ll receive a tailored summary of risks, priorities, and next steps—business-ready for internal discussion or executive review.
For experienced retail security teams
If you’ve already built a layered security program, we’ll take it further. PDI experts will work with you to:
- Evaluate existing architecture and advanced controls
- Benchmark your defenses against known threat models
- Tailor next-step recommendations based on your risk profile
Stay ahead of the next attack
Retail cyber threats are evolving—but you can be ready. Whether you’re just starting to assess your gaps or need to validate a mature program, PDI can help you reduce risk with insight, strategy, and expertise.
Start your free Retail Threat Assessment
Learn more
For a deeper dive into the financial and operational impact of modern cyber threats, explore IBM’s 2024 Cost of a Data Breach Report. This comprehensive study analyzes breaches across 17 industries and 16 countries, offering insights into how AI, automation, and security staffing influence breach costs and recovery times.
Key Ideas Q and A
Q: What are the most common cybersecurity threats facing retailers today?
A: The most common cybersecurity threats in retail include ransomware, phishing attacks, and exploitation of remote access vulnerabilities like unpatched firewalls and VPNs.
Q: Why are retail businesses frequent targets for cybercriminals?
A: Retail businesses are frequent targets because they operate complex digital systems and process large volumes of payment and personal data across distributed networks.
Q: What areas of the retail environment are typically most at risk?
A: The most at-risk areas in retail environments include point-of-sale systems, remote access infrastructure, cloud-based services, and vendor-integrated systems.
Q: What is the impact of outdated or unpatched systems on retail cybersecurity?
A: Outdated or unpatched systems often contain known vulnerabilities, which make it easier for attackers to gain unauthorized access and deploy malware.
Q: How can employee behavior increase cybersecurity risk in retail?
A: Employee actions such as falling for phishing emails or misusing credentials can unintentionally expose the business to serious cybersecurity risks.
Q: What steps can retailers take to begin improving their cybersecurity posture?
A: Retailers can begin improving cybersecurity by applying software patches, enabling multi-factor authentication, training staff, and deploying baseline monitoring tools.
Q: What should retailers do if they do not have a dedicated security operations center (SOC)?
A: Retailers without a dedicated SOC can use PDI’s free threat assessment as a starting point to understand their risks and identify basic defensive improvements.
Q: What if a retailer already has an in-house or third-party SOC?
A: If a retailer already has an in-house or third-party SOC, PDI recommends contacting them directly to discuss more advanced threat assessments tailored to their environment.
Q: How can PDI Technologies help retailers strengthen their cybersecurity defenses?
A: PDI Technologies helps retailers strengthen defenses by providing managed security services, expert threat analysis, and tools to detect, respond to, and reduce cyber risk.
