The 5 Unseen Cyber Threats Facing Retail in 2025
Why human error, not hackers, remains the biggest risk for frontline retail businesses
Retailers face constant cyber threats, but many of the most dangerous risks aren’t visible in firewalls or network logs. While hackers and malware grab headlines, the truth is that human vulnerabilities in day-to-day operations are increasingly the weakest link.
From part-time staff skipping onboarding to fatigue-driven mistakes and shared devices, hidden operational gaps are leaving even well-defended retailers exposed. These aren’t hypothetical scenarios; they are real, measurable threats affecting UK retail businesses every day.
To help IT and security leaders understand these risks, we’ve created an infographic highlighting the five unseen cyber threats in retail for 2025. It’s designed to be easily shareable with your teams, helping you spark discussion and take action. Below, we unpack each threat and share practical steps for mitigating human risk in your stores.
Threat 1: Transient Workforce Turnover
Seasonal and part-time staff are essential for retail operations, but they often bypass structured onboarding and cybersecurity training. High turnover leads to low cyber continuity, leaving gaps in phishing awareness, policy acknowledgements, and data handling practices.
Stat: “60% of retail employees are temporary or part-time, with most receiving no structured cyber training.”
— British Retail Consortium, 2023
This means your frontline workforce may be interacting with sensitive customer data without even basic cyber hygiene knowledge. Practical solutions include short, mobile-friendly training modules, automated reminders via Teams or SMS, and integrating cyber awareness into shift handovers. Platforms like Phishing Tackle can ensure even temporary staff are accounted for in your human risk monitoring.
Threat 2: Operational Fatigue
Retail is a high-pressure environment. Long hours, back-to-back shifts, and constant customer interaction increase the likelihood of mistakes — including falling for phishing emails or ignoring security policies.
Stat: “Fatigued employees are 3x more likely to make critical errors — including clicking suspicious links.”
— National Safety Council, 2023
Fatigue doesn’t just impact productivity; it directly increases your human cyber risk exposure. Automated retraining triggered by phishing failures or behavioural anomalies can help mitigate this risk, ensuring that awareness and vigilance remain consistent even during late-night or weekend shifts.
Threat 3: Shared Devices & BYOD
Shared tills, tablets, and kiosks are standard in retail, but they introduce significant cyber risk when no individual logins or session tracking exist. BYOD devices further complicate matters, potentially introducing malware or unauthorised access into your systems.
Stat: “74% of UK retail staff regularly use shared devices without individual logins.”
— KPMG Retail Security Survey, 2024
Visibility is critical. Platforms like Phishing Tackle enable IT leaders to track behaviour patterns across shared devices, giving insight into risky actions without relying solely on device-based login tracking. This ensures that you can monitor compliance and training effectiveness in real time, even in highly transient environments.
Threat 4: Tailgating & Physical Access Risk
Busy retail stores are naturally high-traffic environments, which create opportunities for tailgating and access to unattended systems. Employees leaving terminals logged in or unsecured can inadvertently expose sensitive data.
Stat: “Physical security breaches account for 28% of retail cyber incidents.”
— UK Cyber Resilience Centre, 2023
These threats often go unrecorded in traditional cyber tools, meaning conventional IT security measures alone aren’t enough. Human risk management is required, combining staff awareness, physical security protocols, and automated monitoring to detect unusual access or behaviour.
Threat 5: Sensitive Data in Daily Use
Frontline retail staff handle hundreds of customer interactions per shift, including PII, payment data, and loyalty program information. Without ongoing training, staff may be unaware of what qualifies as sensitive, creating significant exposure.
Stat: “Retail staff process an average of 350+ customer data interactions per shift.”
— Retail Gazette, 2023
Continuous, bite-sized awareness training is key. Embedding reminders in internal communications, using microlearning modules, and providing instant feedback on risky behaviour helps maintain cyber hygiene at every point of data interaction.
What This Means for Retail IT Leaders
Traditional cybersecurity training platforms often overlook operational risks like fatigue, turnover, and physical access gaps. Human risk is behavioural and process-driven, not just technical.
Effective mitigation requires:
- Automation for ongoing awareness and retraining
- Visibility into staff behaviour and device usage
- Scalable risk management across multiple sites
Platforms like Phishing Tackle provide risk scoring, dashboards, and automated response workflows, enabling IT leaders to proactively manage the human side of retail cybersecurity.
Conclusion: Don’t Let Hidden Threats Go Unseen
You can’t fix what you can’t see. Human vulnerabilities, from transient staff to operational fatigue and shared devices, represent a growing compliance and strategic risk for retailers. Addressing these threats is no longer optional; it’s a business imperative.
Download the Retail Cyber Risk Playbook to explore how to reduce human risk, automate awareness, and prepare your retail business for cyber audits.
