Traditionally, the end of the year concentrates the largest volume of Brazilian retail sales, driven by different seasonal dates and the natural increase in consumption. In 2024, the last seven weeks of the year registered a growth of 12.2% in consumption compared to the same interval of the previous year.In addition to heating the market, this period has become a strategic thermometer that helps companies identify successes and opportunities for improvement in operations, including security.
As business moves forward, concern grows about scams involving digital fraud and hacking attempts.Phishing attacks, website cloning and payment data theft have become increasingly sophisticated, exploiting security flaws and access spikes on e-commerce platforms.
For Gabriel Paiva, CEO of Dfense, a cybersecurity company of the FCamara Group, a Brazilian multinational of technology and innovation, the current scenario requires constant surveillance. “Digital criminals have evolved.Today, they use artificial intelligence (AI), social engineering and automation to identify specific gaps in each operation. In this context, retail needs an equally intelligent and adaptive defense.”
Based on the main threats observed throughout the year, Dfense has put together five indispensable measures to protect e-commerce and provide a safe shopping season for both businesses and consumers:
- Strengthen check-out and tokenize payments: the moment of the transaction is the point most targeted by fraudsters. Scams such as the false “Pix” and card fraud follow among the main threats. The reinforcement of checkout and tokenization of payments which replaces sensitive data with encrypted codes 5 considerably reduce the risk. “ Ensuring security in this process is the first step to conquer the most valuable asset: consumer trust”, says Paiva.
- Using AI in real-time detection: predictive AI systems make it possible to identify and block suspicious behavior in milliseconds by analyzing browsing patterns, devices, and purchase history.The technology acts as an invisible radar, stopping fraud before it causes harm.
- Shield messaging channels and digital governance: applications such as WhatsApp and Telegram have become a gateway to targeted attacks. Scams that start in conversations with customers can quickly compromise internal systems. The adoption of Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions contributes to isolate corporate data and control access, preventing cross-contamination.“Malware via WhatsApp shows how much the border between personal and corporate is increasingly blurred. It is necessary to allow agility without giving up security”, says Paiva.
- Automate responses and simulate incidents: cyber attack reaction time is decisive. Incident response and orchestration platforms (SOAR) reduce impact with automated flows, simulation testing and integrated alerts.
- Adopt the concept of Security by Design: security is not an addendum, but a design pillar. Incorporating Security by Design practices since the development of new platforms and integrations is what differentiates resilient companies from vulnerable ones. “It is not about reacting, but about building safely from the beginning. This mentality needs to be in the retailer's DNA throughout the year”, explains Paiva.
More than a cost, cybersecurity consolidates as a strategic investment. At the end of the year, when access peaks and transactions test the limits of systems, companies with secure infrastructure are the ones that transform traffic into real and sustainable revenue.In a panorama of increasingly sophisticated threats, digital trust becomes the new competitive differential of retail.
