Security: Neiman Marcus
Through ecommerce, department stores like Neiman Marcus have been able to increase their revenues significantly, meeting demand in places they may never have had reason to put a store. Yet even when a business is as large and makes as much money as Neiman Marcus does, it doesn’t make that business insusceptible to hacking. In fact, the larger you are, the more security you need to employ to keep your—and your customers’—information and data safe.
What Happened to Neiman Marcus
During 2013, around 1.1 million customer credit and debit card numbers were stolen from Neiman Marcus’ systems. The malware that was used to obtain the card numbers seems to be the same, or at least very similar to, the malware that was used to breach Target’s systems and steal millions of their customers’ information.
One of the main problems to think about when discussing this type of crime is the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI) that many retailers follow. The security that many retailers have meets, and in Neiman Marcus’ and many other retailers’ cases, exceeds the PCI standards that are thought to be acceptable. The bottom line is that retailers need to reevaluate how to keep their information safe, and Neiman Marcus’ struggles with cybercrime should be a reminder to all companies about how important safety is.
What Neiman Marcus’ Crisis Means
Every company, regardless of their industry—should always have increased security as a priority. The antiquated standards of adequate security need to be adjusted. The PCI was established several years ago by major credit card companies so that there was a set amount of security measures in place when there was any handling of credit and debit card information. While these security measures have worked well in the past, they are now not enough to deal with the tools that cybercriminals are using.
Don’t simply try to meet the standards for online security, because hackers and online pirates are becoming increasingly more sophisticated every day. Set your own standards, and aim high.
Steps to Take to Keep Everything Safe
There are steps that companies can take to make sure that they are doing everything possible to stay safe. Here are a few.
- Encrypt Everything
Encryption is important not only for any customer information, but also internal information. There are plenty of options for encryption software out there, and your encryption software should be updated regularly. The more your software is updated, the less likely it is that your company’s information will be hacked.
- New Operating Systems
When a new operating system comes out, you should consider switching your system over. You probably don’t have to do this as soon as it comes out, but cybercriminals look for older or outdated systems.
- Update and Change Passwords
This is essential if you hope to keep your information secure. Any time you add any new software or technology to your systems, you should change your passwords. If you do not add new software often, then having a set amount of time between password alterations is another smart option.