Securing Retail Operations: How Keepnet Labs Boosts Phishing Awareness from 55% to 91%
Learn how Keepnet protects a global retailer from QR phishing attacks, saving costs and enhancing the organization's security culture.
Introduction
A leading US-based retail company stands out with its extensive network, operating over 6.000 stores in 25 countries and employing approximately 27,000 people. This retail giant has embraced the multi-channel approach, integrating QR codes into its operations to seamlessly connect offline and online shopping experiences for various purposes. They are placed in strategic locations such as alongside products, on payment kiosks, at storefronts, and on product packaging.
However, this innovative strategy introduces a significant cybersecurity challenge: the rising threat of QR code phishing. With a large and varied workforce, equipping employees to recognize and respond to these sophisticated cyber threats becomes a complex yet essential task.
Therefore, the company looked for a security awareness training vendor capable of stopping QR phishing attacks. Keepnet Labs was selected based on its inclusive security awareness approach, combining advanced technical defenses with a strong focus on employee training and awareness. This strategy aims to strengthen the company's security - ensuring customers' safety and maintaining the brand's reputation globally.
Successful Outcomes
- An impressive annual Return on Investment (ROI) of $89,500 was achieved.
- The annual potential financial loss was reduced by $1,627,280
- Within a year, employees improved their ability to recognize QR phishing by 96%.
- Increased Training Success Rate from 55% to 91%
Impact of QR Phishing Attacks
QR code phishing attacks pose substantial risks, considering the company's extensive international presence and the responsibility of managing human risk, which accounts for 95% of all cybersecurity incidents.
- Legal Compliance Risks: Inadequate training of employees in recognizing and responding to QR code phishing attacks could lead to legal penalties and actions. This situation demands rigorous and consistent cybersecurity training.
- Financial impact: QR code phishing attacks can lead to data breaches and potentially result in ransom demands. These incidents incur costs regarding incident response and mitigation and can lead to substantial financial losses.
- Reputation at stake: Keeping customer trust is essential for a large brand. Any compromise in data integrity due to phishing attacks can severely damage the company's reputation among customers, employees, and business partners.
- Operational disruptions: Responding to QR code phishing attacks requires significant resources and can disrupt regular business operations.
“In our retail operations, QR code usage was a top priority. Partnering with Keepnet Labs has been a strategic move to strengthen our defenses against QR code phishing. We focus on equipping our 27,000 employees across 6,000 stores with the necessary skills to identify and prevent these threats, ensuring our customers' safety and our brand's integrity."
- Noah Martin, CISO at US-based Retail BusinessReturn on Investment (ROI)
Average Cost of Phishing Incident Response
How Keepnet Labs Stepped In:
- QR Code Phishing Simulation: Keepnet Labs introduced QR code phishing simulations to assess and improve the employees' readiness against QR code phishing attacks. The QR phishing simulator provided practical, hands-on experience, enabling employees to better recognize QR code phishing attacks.
- Focused Security Awareness Training: Keepnet Labs implemented a targeted security awareness training program to address QR code phishing attacks.
- Expert Consultation: Keepnet Labs provided the company with ongoing consultation, offering insights into emerging threats and assisting in creating targeted phishing campaigns.
- Strengthened Reporting Culture: Keepnet Labs trained the company's employees in proper reporting mechanisms and provided phishing reporting add-ins to employees. This empowered staff to report any suspicious activities promptly, enabling swift incident response and resolution.
- Ensuring Regulatory Compliance: The regular simulated phishing tests and security awareness training sessions conducted by Keepnet Labs ensured that the company remained compliant with relevant cybersecurity regulations. This compliance minimized the risk of penalties and legal consequences associated with regulatory breaches.
- Behavior-Based Automated Security Training: Keepnet Labs' system is designed to monitor closely how employees handle cybersecurity. If it spots any wrong actions, it automatically sends that person specific training. This training focuses on the exact mistakes they made.
Operational Results
- Global Training Achievement: Successfully trained 27.000 employees worldwide, significantly boosting security awareness.
- Risk Score Enhancement: Improved from 45% to 80%, reflecting a stronger cybersecurity posture.
- Training Success Rate Improvement: Increased from 55% to 91%, indicating the effectiveness of training methods.
Strategic Results
- Annual Cost Savings: Achieved substantial savings of $89,500 through implementing Keepnet Labs' solutions.
- Regulatory Compliance: Ensured adherence to cybersecurity regulations, enhancing organizational reassurance.
- Strengthened Cybersecurity Defenses: Significantly improved through rigorous measures and an efficient incident response plan.
- Enhanced Productivity: Automated training sessions replaced manual training, streamlining the learning process.
Take Action Now
Contact Keepnet Labs today to discover how our QR code phishing simulation and security awareness training can bolster your cybersecurity defenses. Take advantage of the opportunity to benefit from their expertise and ensure your organization's security.
