Food retailers meet with national cybersecurity experts to boost resilience

A spate of cyber attacks has hit retailers in recent months, with the likes of Marks & Spencer, the Co-op and Harrods being targeted by hackers.

In a constantly evolving landscape, leaders from food retail met with the chief executive of the NCSC as part of continued engagement between the retail industry and cybersecurity agencies.

Attacks have become more sophisticated as retail becomes more automated and digitised, leading to more risks.

Strengthening cyber defences is critical for retail security and retailers tend to spend hundreds of millions to mitigate risk and be prepared for an attack.

The NCSC has tools and resources available to ensure all businesses are supported, with the Governance Code of Practice setting out the most critical governance action for directors.

More retailers are adopting Cyber Essentials, the government-backed certification scheme, with the BRC helping to organise ongoing engagement between the NCSC and retailers.

BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson said: “Cyber attacks are a very real risk for all businesses, especially in an industry as digitally connected as retail. 

“No business can be 100% safe, and I would encourage every retailer to promote Cyber Essentials within their supply chains and revisit their own protections and plans. 

“Wednesday’s meeting was another opportunity for food retailers to reaffirm their commitment to working together to counter the risks an attack could pose, and ensure they are on the front foot. They are in regular contact with cyber agencies, sharing intelligence, and invest huge sums every year on both protection and preparedness.”

NCSC chief executive Richard Horne added: “In the modern world, cyber resilience is business resilience, so I was pleased to welcome senior leaders from UK food retailers into NCSC headquarters on Wednesday to discuss how the sector can effectively manage the online threats they face. 

“In a sector with many digital dependencies across complex supply chains and large estates, leaders being proactive in understanding cyber risk, sharing best practices and taking action to raise defences is exactly what is required to stay secure.”

“We look forward to working further with the sector to support their efforts and encourage continued uptake of our free advice and guidance, including our cyber governance resources, to protect themselves online.”