Europe suffers a wave of cyberattacks in retail: Is Mexico prepared?

During 2024, more than 800 cyberattacks on retailers were detected in Europe, highlighting the growing risk facing this key economic sector. Along with retail, business services and manufacturing were also affected.

Spain was one of the countries with the highest increase in incidents, recording a 178% rise compared to 2023. The United Kingdom also stood out among the most attacked markets, consolidating an alarming trend for the sector in general.

Although the focus of these attacks was in Europe, the United States also reported significant cases, such as those suffered by major international brands. These attacks affected both critical infrastructure and the privacy of millions of customers.

What types of threats does retail face?

The main threats identified include ransomware, theft of sensitive data, unauthorized access through social engineering, and attacks on external suppliers.

This last point is particularly dangerous, as it compromises the entire supply chain.

Highly sophisticated criminal groups have exploited vulnerabilities in systems widely used in the sector. A notable example was the security breach in the MOVEit platform, which affected global suppliers.

Economic and reputational impact

The consequences for companies are manifold: disruption of operations, paralysis in sales, and heavy economic losses. Added to this are penalties for regulatory non-compliance and, perhaps most seriously, the loss of consumer confidence.

Damage to corporate reputation can take years to recover, and the costs associated with data recovery or system reconstruction can reach millions of euros.

Industry response: more resilience, fewer payments

One encouraging fact is that only 28% of organizations attacked agreed to pay a ransom in 2024, down from 41% in previous years. This reflects greater preparedness and awareness of the dangers of financing criminal groups.

Companies are strengthening their cybersecurity with early detection tools, multi-factor authentication, staff training, and business continuity plans.

Collaboration between public and private entities has also increased to share key information about threats and coordinate defenses.

How can Mexico learn from this situation?

Although the report focuses on Europe, Mexico should take it as a warning. The retail sector in the country has also shown vulnerabilities that could be exploited if preventive measures are not taken.

Investing in proactive intelligence, conducting regular audits, implementing attack simulations, and strengthening digital governance are urgent steps to prevent such incidents from spreading to our territory.

In addition, fostering a culture of cybersecurity within Mexican companies (especially small and medium-sized ones) is essential to creating a more secure and resilient environment.

At Cyberpeace, we believe that anticipating threats is key to protecting your business. Stay up to date on cybersecurity and strengthen your digital environment with reliable information. Want to learn more about how to prevent attacks and protect your company? Follow us on social media and stay one step ahead.

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