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Debra Martin named Director of Asset Protection for Fresh Thyme Farmers Market
Debra was previously the Sr. Director Operational Improvement for The Fresh Market before taking on this new role. Debra has held a variety of senior level positions in asset protection and operations such as Director Loss Prevention for The Fresh Market, Director of Asset Protection - Safety and Compliance for Harris Teeter, Senior Director of Global Security Operations, Interim VP of Global Security Operations and Divisional AP Director for Walmart, VP of Asset Protection Risk and Safety for Raley's, VP of Loss Prevention and Safety for The Home World - China, and VP of Loss Prevention for Winn Dixie. Congratulations Debra!

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Westchester County District Attorney Anthony A. Scarpino, Jr. announced John Labarbera of Poughquag, pleaded guilty to Grand Larceny in the 2nd Degree before Judge Barry Warhit. Scarpino said Labarbera was employed as the Parts Manager for the Curry Acura dealership on Central Park Avenue in the Town of Greenburgh. According to the charges, from approximately May 5, 2011 through Mar. 5, 2015, Labarbera allegedly stole parts from the dealership and sold them for profit. Read more here

For further information on PROACT, email inquiries to PROACT@eBay.com.

ADT Expands Commercial Capabilities with Acquisition of Aronson Security Group (ASG)

Move Marks ADT’s Commitment to New Solutions, Services and Enhanced Experience for Commercial and National Accounts Customers

BOCA RATON, Fla., March 2, 2018 – ADT Inc. (NYSE: ADT), the leading provider of monitored security and interactive home and business automation solutions in the United States and Canada, today announced the completed acquisition of Aronson Security Group, Inc. (ASG).

Headquartered in Renton, Washington, and in business for 55 years, ASG employs nearly 170 team members, including Risk and Security program consultants, Advanced Integration Services, Consulting and Design Engineers and a National Program Management team, as well as technicians and business development and project managers, who work from locations across the United States.

“Our commercial growth strategy incorporates acquisitions that bring both talent and resources to ADT that will not only extend our capabilities, but also serve as the right cultural fit with our customer-centric philosophy," said ADT President, Jim DeVries. "We see Phil Aronson and his team at Aronson Security Group a great add to the ADT family in those regards – highly experienced in the integrated security solution market, tremendous leadership capabilities, and a true passion for the customer – all the right components as we focus on strategic growth.”
 
“Our goal from the beginning was to create exceptional value for the security executive and their team, and change how the industry advanced that value into the business,” said Phil Aronson, ASG CEO and President. “ADT provides a unique platform for us to continue to focus on customers with scale in new geographic and vertical markets. I share a great deal of excitement with our leadership team for our employees and our customers to come together with an industry leader like ADT.”

Read more here.

SEC's new cybersecurity guidance falls short
Post Equifax, those who hoped that the US Securities and Exchange Commission would impose tougher rules (and consequences for breaking them) around reporting breaches will be disappointed.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued new guidance in February, urging senior executives and board members to pay closer attention to cybersecurity. However, the recommendations, while more stringent than what was in place before, don't go far enough, critics say, and, more importantly, lack teeth.

No consequences for failure

Since that guidance was first released, there's been no significant changes in companies' disclosures, she said -- a sign that guidance alone is not enough. Meanwhile, the risks and costs of cyber attacks are going up, Stein said. For example, the SEC could have considered more stringent disclosure requirements, as well as going beyond just disclosures to setting minimum cybersecurity standards and procedures. Instead, the guidance that was released "may provide investors a false sense of comfort that we, at the Commission, have done something more than we have," she said. csoonline.com

Retailers are still struggling to secure data effectively, confirms new research from Claranet
Keeping data secure remains a top priority for retail businesses, and as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into force on the 25 May 2018, there is an increased urgency to improve the way data is managed and secured. However, despite this impending deadline, the rapidly evolving threat landscape and a growing struggle to encourage consumer spending, new research from managed services provider Claranet has found that many companies are still not managing their data as well as they could.

The research, which was conducted by Vanson Bourne who surveyed 750 IT decision-makers for Claranet’s Beyond Digital Transformation research report, identified that security is an area that many are struggling with. Worryingly, 69 per cent of respondents stated that they were not able to secure customer data effectively, with almost half (45 per cent) encountering challenges around securing customer details when trying to improve the digital user experience for customers. This points to a distinct lack of capability when it comes to managing security in a reliable manner. retailtimes.co.uk

Due Diligence on Cybersecurity Becomes Bigger Factor in M&A
Close scrutiny of tech operations can uncover cybersecurity gaps before deals close.

Companies are intensifying due diligence of acquisition targets to avoid costly cybersecurity surprises, particularly when intellectual property, such as software code or customer data drive the deal. Scrutiny will continue as merger and acquisition activity heats up on expectations of extra cash from lower corporate tax rates.

Gaps in data protection, undiscovered breaches, regulatory violations and other holes in a company’s technology operations can threaten transactions. Such problems can also decrease the value of a deal or leave an acquirer liable for problems after a merger.

Now data compromises can diminish the value of a transaction, he said. Suspected theft of sensitive data uncovered through due diligence “becomes a business issue,” he said.

Home Depot Inc. HD +1.00% performed cyberrisk due diligence before buying retailer The Company Store and tool-rental firm Compact Power Equipment Inc. in 2017, said finance chief Carol Tome.

“Our plans are basically to integrate these companies,” Ms. Tome said. Their operations will be moved to Home Depot’s platforms and networks, she said. “So we’re closing down any little holes that the threat actor could take advantage of.”

The company has assessed cyberrisk on potential deals for the past decade, according to a spokesman. Getting breached in 2014 elevated cybersecurity concerns among senior leaders at Home Depot, Ms. Tomé said. Hackers stole email and payment-card information of up to 56 million customers.

Home Depot’s due diligence playbook includes penetration testing, Ms. Tome said. “We have a heightened sense of awareness in this area and our due diligence is exhaustive.” wsj.com

How & Why the Cybersecurity Landscape Is Changing
Comprehensive new report from Cisco should "scare the pants off" enterprise security leaders
Cisco recently published its 2018 annual cybersecurity report. The study is far more comprehensive than previous surveys and includes threat research from its Talos group and a number of technology partners, along with a survey of 3,600 chief security officers and security operations managers from all over the world. Even more important: the report underscores the need to change the way cybersecurity is done. It should scare the pants off today's security leaders.

Highlights of the study include four key assertions:

1. Malware is becoming self-propagating.
Historically, malware required a user to click on a link, open an attachment, or take some other kind of action before it could spread. Today, newer forms of malware, like ransomware cryptoworms, are network-based, which obviates the need for humans to spread it. Self-propagating malware is much more difficult to find and can propagate at network speeds. Cisco warns that self-propagating malware has the potential to take down the Internet.

2. Ransomware isn't only for ransom.
In security circles, 2017 may well be remembered as the year of ransomware.
The Cisco security report indicates that some hackers aren't just looking to make a few bucks from the ransom threat. Rather, their main goal is the destruction of systems and data. The recent Nyetya (NotPetya) threat posed as tax software but was actually something called "wiper malware" that killed organizations' supply chain systems.

3. Adversaries are stepping up their evasion capabilities.
The ability to skirt sandboxes has been something that the bad guys have been getting steadily better at executing. In no way am I saying sandboxes don't work. They do, but some malware has gotten smart enough to evade detection. A growing technique is to hide the threat in encrypted traffic. The use of encryption has grown as a way of protecting payloads but it can also conceal bad traffic from security systems. Threat actors are also using popular cloud services for command and control, making malware very difficult to find with traditional security tools because it looks like normal traffic.

4. The Internet of Things (IoT) is becoming a significant threat vector.
Businesses of all sizes are deploying IoT devices at a furious rate. This may be a critical component of digital transformation, but it also poses a number of new security problems, according to the study, because of the following:

●60% of IoT devices are deployed by operational technology not IT.
●Many IoT devices are unmonitored.
●IoT devices created "back doors" to other systems.
●Patching for IoT devices is often done poorly.
●IoT endpoints often have no inherent security capabilities.

The lesson of the report is that the bad guys are getting smarter, are creating more damage, and have more tools at their disposal. But the big issue for security professionals is what to do about it. Clearly, doing what you did before isn't going to protect your business. If the hackers and threats keep evolving, so must an organization's security strategies. darkreading.com

RFID as a Strategic Tool
RFID should be seen as a strategic tool that can be used to enhance your company's core strategic advantage.

If you are a retailer that provides a high-end experience to well-heeled shoppers, RFID can be used, first and foremost, to ensure your product is always available, no matter when, where and how your customer wants to buy it. But it can also be used to create interactive displays on the store floor, where a customer can pick up an item and immediately view a video or a screen containing complimentary items. It can be used to make smart changing rooms, in which shoppers can see information about that item, find out what other colors and sizes are in stock, and call a store associate to bring a different size.

The high-end retailer, for example, might use data about which items were tried on in the fitting room but not purchased to make changes to the cut or fit of a dress. They might use data about where items were picked up in stores to optimize store configurations. And they might compare local demographic data and sales of particular items in stores against other stores, to optimize their products for different customer sets. rfidjournal.com

Millions of Office 365 Accounts Hit with Password Stealers
Phishing emails disguised as tax-related alerts aim to trick users into handing attackers their usernames and passwords. A new wave of phishing attacks aims to dupe users and steal their passwords by disguising malicious emails as tax-related notifications from the IRS.

Barracuda Networks last month flagged a "critical alert" when it detected attack attempts to steal user passwords. This threat lures victims with Microsoft 365 Office files claiming to be tax forms or other official documents; attackers use urgent language to convince people to open the attachment.

Cybercriminals are aiming for mass data theft and many are impersonating executives to request W-2 information from human resources.

Tens of millions of people have been affected by these phishing emails, Shi says, and attackers evade detection by crafting different emails. darkreading.com

The NRF LP Effort & Value
- Protect 2018 Update

Bob Moraca, VP LP , NRF
Dan Faketty, VP AP, Southeastern Grocers

Bob Moraca, Vice President of Loss Prevention, NRF, tells us about the evolution of the NRF Protect conference over the years and what’s new this year, the role and value of the NRF LP Council and its Committees, and the new research studies and preparedness guides the NRF publishes.

Dan Faketty, Vice President of Asset Protection, Southeastern Grocers, talks about the importance of continuing education, networking, and why LP/AP executives should get involved and engaged with the NRF.

Episode Sponsored By

How ALTO Bridges the Gap Between Retailers & Law Enforcement

Having spent time on both the retailer and law enforcement side of the fence, Karl Langhorst, Executive Vice President for ALTO US, understands the challenges each faces when it comes to theft and criminal prosecution.
 

Solution Providers, have a video or commercial you want to publish? Contact us.

e-commerce
Sponsored by The Zellman Group

Amazon faces criticism for being 'complicit' with counterfeiters
Senator Orrin Hatch plans to convene a Senate hearing on the issue
Amazon pledged to tackle counterfeiting in 2017, but its lax policies are still hurting inventors and small companies, one supplier says. In a blog post, Elevation Lab founder Casey Hopkins wrote that a Chinese manufacturer ripped off its popular under-desk headphone stand, "The Anchor" and is selling it cheap on Amazon and taking all its sales. Worse, he claims that Amazon is effectively abetting such counterfeiters and could do away with it via a simple change.

And yet the fix is simple, Hopkins says. To stop counterfeiting, Amazon established a registry of approved sellers in 2016, aka the "Brand Registry." All it has to do to help small inventors is add a check box for suppliers that only sell directly to Amazon and don't use wholesalers. "Anyone else would have have to get approval or high vetting to sell the product," Hopkins said. On top of that, Amazon needs to increase its Brand Registry team so it can swat away counterfeit scammers more quickly, he believes.

Amazon has been regularly criticized for being too lax on counterfeiters, a problem that has kept the fashion world well away from the site, for instance. Chanel recently won a judgement against counterfeiters, but only after it persisted following a court setback. Smaller companies, though, are ill-equipped to take on expensive lawsuits.

The feds might soon wade into the fray, however. The US Government Accountability Office recently completed an investigation and was able to purchase 47 counterfeit products from Amazon, Walmart and other companies. Senator Orrin Hatch plans to convene a Senate hearing on the issue.

Update: Amazon has replied to Engadget, and though it didn't address the specific complaints from Elevation Lab, said "we work closely with vendors, sellers and rights owners to strengthen protections for their brands on Amazon." Its full statement is here. engadget.com

Amazon adds photo confirmation for deliveries
Amazon has started having package delivery personnel take photos of packages that have been delivered, unattended, to a customer residence to confirm to customers that the package was delivered and where it was left, according to a USA Today report and a recent post on Amazon's website.

The Photo on Delivery option is being used in Seattle, San Francisco and Northern Virginia, where contracted delivery drivers working for Amazon use a mobile device and app to record the photo and other delivery details, the USA Today story stated. retaildive.com

Study: Voice shopping to hit $40 billion by 2020

Best Buy web sales top $6 billion in 2017

Chico’s in partnership with ShopRunner to drive customer acquisition

ORC News

Hattiesburg, MS: Jurors find Physician guilty in Pharmacy Multi-Million dollar fraud case
Jurors have found a Mississippi Gulf Coast physician accused of writing improper prescriptions guilty on all 16 counts in a multi-million dollar fraud scheme. After hearing four days of testimony, the jury delivered the verdict late Friday against Gulfport-based Dr. Albert Diaz. Diaz, 78, of Ocean Springs, was charged in a federal indictment alleging he was involved in scheme to defraud TRICARE out of millions of dollars. Those charges include fraud, conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, distribution of a controlled substance and destruction, alteration or falsification of records in a federal investigation. mysanantonio.com

Allentown, PA: Warehouse manager stole nearly $190,000 in appliances
The manager of an Upper Macungie Township warehouse was charged Thursday with stealing nearly $190,000 in appliances from his workplace. Upper Macungie Township police charged Davone S. Morris with six counts of burglary and two counts of theft after he allegedly swiped several appliances from RAS Delivery Services. Morris was charged with six counts of burglary, two counts of theft, unauthorized use of an automobile and driving with a suspended license. wfmz.com

Elizabethtown, KY: Woman arrested for stealing, selling $74,000 worth of Belk items
A Radcliff woman was arrested Thursday for stealing and selling more than $70,000 of merchandise from Belk department store in Elizabethtown. Betty Mitchell, 57, was caught on Belk surveillance multiple times stealing merchandise in large quantities. The thefts took place for a period extending one year – between Jan. 18, 2017, and Feb. 22, 2018. Within days, the items would be taken to a consignment shop across the street. Police said consignment shop owners were not aware their consignee was selling stolen merchandise. A search warrant was executed Feb. 23 for Mitchell’s residence and a total of 94 items belonging to Belk department store were recovered. thenewsenterprise.com

Farmington, MA: Former Lowe's employee accused of stealing $33,000
Jason Stalter, 48, was arrested and charged with a second-degree felony count of larceny and a fourth-degree felony count of burglary, according to court documents. He is accused of taking about $33,040 from a safe at the Lowe's home improvement store at 5431 Pinon Hills Blvd. on or around Dec. 3, according to the arrest warrant affidavit. daily-times.com

Cleveland Heights, OH: Three Home Depot cashiers arrested in $13,000 Grand Theft
At 12:10 p.m. Feb. 22, police were called to Home Depot, 3460 Mayfield Road, where loss prevention had detained a female cashier. The cashier was suspected of taking cash from a store register, in addition to snacks. Further, the woman allowed a man, later identified as a landscaper, to take merchandise from the store at greatly discounted prices. The man allegedly offered the cashier $150 cash so that she would not charge him more than $300 for me Feb. 22. police were again called to Home Depot where the cashier's female cousin, also a cashier at the store, was also accused of allowing the landscaper to leave without fully paying for merchandise. The total amount of stolen goods in this cashier's case was $7,553.

Finally, at 4:10 p.m. the same day, police were again called to Home Depot. Once more, a female cashier was accused of not ringing up merchandise totaling $1,051. Merchandise he bought over the course of several trips to the store since early January. In all, the theft amounted to $13,739. cleveland.com

Ventura, CA: Three arrested in $3,000 theft from Pacific View Mall

Soldotna, AK: Fred Meyer’s LP apprehends a woman with $1,200 of merchandise

Coronado, CA: Suspect Arrested with Razors, Shavers, Clothing and 33 Bottles of Alcohol from Rite Aid and Vons

 

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Tip of the Day
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Providing a reference on an executive is a serious commitment and should never be taken or given lightly as references play a critical role in the decision process regarding major investments companies make when they hire a new executive. For example, when a company hires a $100,000 a year executive, they'll spend close to $200,000 on that executive in the first year alone merely to get the executive up and running. And if your recommendation isn't accurate, it could lead to problems not only for the company referencing the executive, but also for the executive themselves and that's the real concern. So when you're asked to give a reference, make sure you understand the position they're looking to fill and give an accurate assessment based on your experience and knowledge of that person and of the needs of that position. Because the last thing anyone wants is to have an executive fail in their new position if it could have been avoided.

Just a Thought,
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