The Security Detail Download: Cyber Threats to the Retail and Hospitality Sector

The Security Detail is a podcast series facilitated and hosted by SURGe, Splunk’s strategic security research team. 

Every other week, co-hosts Audra Streetman and Kirsty Paine interview security experts about the cyber threat landscape across various industries.

Episode six features an interview with Suzie Squier, president of the Retail & Hospitality Information Sharing and Analysis Center (RH-ISAC), a global community for consumer-facing companies to share cybersecurity intelligence and best practices. Prior to establishing the RH-ISAC, Squier was senior executive vice president of member services for the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA), and has spent her career working in non-profit membership organizations. 

Read the top takeaways from the interview, or download the full episode. 

1. Strengthening cybersecurity involves everyone 

Squier formed the RH-ISAC, then known as the Retail Cyber Intelligence Sharing Center, in 2014 to combat cybersecurity incidents in the retail industry through information sharing. Since its founding, the RH-ISAC has expanded to include a wide range of organizations within the retail and hospitality sector, including travel, restaurants and casinos. “Now, we’ve just kind of grown and expanded to really any consumer-facing company,” said Squier. 

2. When information is shared, everyone wins

RH-ISAC members contribute to threat information sharing by alerting the community to the threats, indicators of compromise and tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) they observe. The RH-ISAC provides platforms for members to exchange and ingest these indicators, allowing them to enhance their own defenses and collaborate on countering threats. Special groups focused on specific areas like fraud also facilitate targeted information sharing, while working groups focused on the dark web and identity and access management help every member strengthen their cybersecurity capabilities.

“That's just a game changer for a lot of our member companies, especially the small ones. You know, they get the rewards of these mature companies providing insight and help and guidance on what they do,” said Squier. 

3. Beware: Account takeovers are on the rise 

The interview highlighted some key cybersecurity challenges in the retail and hospitality industry, such as phishing attacks, credential harvesting and account takeover fraud.  “I would say that we've seen a huge uptick in account takeovers recently. And with members with a lot of loyalty programs, it can be lucrative when someone gets access to that. So that's what a lot of the threat actors are looking for,” Squier explained.

In addition, the use of generative AI to create more sophisticated phishing attacks is a growing concern for the industry. Squier noted that ransomware is also a prevalent threat and emphasized the importance of basic security hygiene, resilience and preparedness, including regular backups and tabletop exercises. 

Listen to the full interview to hear Squier’s thoughts on securing hybrid cloud environments, supply chain risks and what she thinks is top of mind for CISOs today. To learn more about The Security Detail podcast, visit thesecuritydetail.podbean.com.