Black Friday: shoppers & retailers face rising cyber threats

Black Friday is set to see three in five UK adults making purchases, despite a decline in overall enthusiasm for the event in recent years. The annual sales period continues to generate high traffic, both in shops and online, creating opportunities for both retailers and cybercriminals.

Online threat

Online shopping remains a favoured route for consumers seeking the best deals, but this convenience carries heightened risks. With the influx of rapid transactions and time-dependent offers, experts warn that cybercriminals are quick to exploit consumer behaviour during Black Friday weekend.

"Interesting deals promoted on social media may not be vetted to the standards people assume, and fraudsters will undoubtedly take advantage of that urgency. Our recent research showed that over three quarters (78%) of consumers worry their personal or financial details could be compromised when shopping online, yet fewer than half (47%) check a retailer's security credentials before buying. That gap creates the perfect opening for scammers, especially during fast-moving Black Friday sales," said Jake Moore, Global Cybersecurity Advisor, ESET.

Moore noted that messages sent via group chats or friends can also present risks, as hackers may compromise legitimate accounts to send misleading offers. He recommends that consumers pause before making quick decisions and take basic precautions such as using secondary email addresses or trusted payment platforms.

Moore said, "Doing your own research is still the best defence, but fraudsters rely on pressure to force quick decisions. Using a secondary email address, trusted payment methods like Apple Pay/Google Pay, or virtual cards can help reduce the risk if something does go wrong."

Retailer response

Retailers, faced with surges in online demand and heightened competition, are adopting technology to increase sales while managing security risks. Agentic commerce, involving the use of AI-driven bots that can select and purchase products on behalf of consumers, is gaining traction. Retailers are leveraging such systems to create more personalised experiences and encourage greater spending.

"Agentic commerce is the next big revenue driver for retailers during the golden quarter. Major brands are already rolling out platforms which plug directly into ChatGPT and similar systems, deploying bots which can search for items, compare options and carry out purchases on behalf of consumers. The technology is creating hyper-personalised customer journeys and is primed to create new revenue streams this Black Friday. However, for all its benefits, agentic AI can bypass every security and control measure retailers have, such as flood protection and CAPTCHAs, without the right safeguards. To securely use agentic commerce, retailers must follow three key practices; strong verification of the bots and revocable consent from the customer, which will ensure the AI is secure and user-controlled; ensuring every agent has a unique, centrally managed digital identity; and making sure no customer login credentials are ever shared with a bot. Agentic commerce is a massive opportunity, but only if it's built on a foundation of security and trust," said Alex Laurie, GTM CTO, Ping Identity.

Attacks rising

Retailers and their suppliers are also facing a surge in other forms of attacks, from ransomware to supply chain breaches. These incidents can disrupt operations and impact business partners throughout the retail ecosystem, including logistics firms and payment providers.

Gil Vega, Chief Information Security Officer, Veeam Software, said, "As retail organizations prepare for the holiday shopping season, cybercriminals are more motivated than ever. We're seeing a surge in sophisticated ransomware, phishing, and supply chain attacks that can disrupt operations within minutes - impacting not just retailers but their entire ecosystem, from logistics to payment providers."

Vega emphasised a multi-layered approach to business resilience, focusing on regular personnel training, zero-trust architectures, and robust backup systems. He added that cross-industry collaboration can also help retailers adapt and respond to rapidly changing threats.

"At Veeam, we believe resilience starts with people - training seasonal staff to spot phishing and fraud is as important as any tool. But, we must also assume breach: adopt zero trust, enforce multi-factor authentication, and monitor for anomalies in real time. Backups must be frequent, immutable, and routinely tested to ensure rapid recovery - because in retail, every minute of downtime matters.

Collaboration is also key. Sharing threat intelligence with industry peers and authorities amplifies our collective defense. After the holidays, review every incident and refine your approach. Cyber resilience is an ongoing journey - one that blends technology, process, and a culture of vigilance to protect your customers and your business during the year's busiest season," said Vega.