Britain's retail sector is one of the worst equipped to deal with cyber attacks ahead of the busy Black Friday and Christmas period, according to security advisor Coalfire.
Some 64% of retail brands have at least one significant cybersecurity weakness that could be easily exploited by a hacker, according to Coalfire’s data.
Coalfire conducted 1,500 penetration tests on 564 businesses, it said, simulating real-world cyberattacks, adding that retailers were more likely to have significant vulnerabilities than other organisations.
Financial services were second, with 61% having at least one significant vulnerability, followed by healthcare with 57% and tech with 56%.
Cyber-attacks have been on the rise this year, boosting business for cybersecurity firms such as Darktrace and Crossword Cybersecurity.
Darktrace upped its profit guidance as the fear of a cyberwar in Ukraine increased demand for defence services, while Crossword reported a 85% increase in sales due to the “rising number” of attacks.
The impact of a cyber-attack on a retail business has already been seen, when TheWorks was forced to close its stores as a result of a hack earlier this year.