News Security Read more online at www.securitymattersmagazine.com
BRC toolkit aims to defeat
cyber attacks in retail sector
12
WILSON JAMES has announced
the acquisition of The Security
Group (TSG) as part of a long-term
strategy designed to provide clients
with holistic solutions for their
security and guarding needs.
The acquisition will allow
Wilson James to meet increasing
demand from customers for
information-led solutions they
require to address security
challenges across a range of sectors.
Customers will now benefit from
advanced security technology
through a new Technology Services
business unit that’s being
established by the company.
As a result of the acquisition,
around 200 TSG employees will be
welcomed into the larger Wilson
James family. TSG’s client base is
primarily centred in the South East
of England and includes both
public and private sector
organisations as part of the mix.
Indeed, it fits in well with Wilson
James’ existing customer cohort.
TSG’s current security guarding
operations will now be managed by
Barry Dawson, recently appointed
managing director for security at
Wilson James, while technology
will fall under the remit of James
Bauer-Mein, the company’s new
head of technology. Bauer-Mein
will report to Gemma Quirke, who
was recently appointed chief
operating officer at Wilson James.
Speaking about the deal, Quirke
told Security Matters: “Acquiring
TSG will allow Wilson James to
provide greater value to its clients
through a combination of
consultancy, technology and skilled
people. We look forward to
welcoming TSG’s clients and
employees to the business.”
Bauer-Mein added: “This
acquisition will enable the latest
security technologies and design in
which TSG specialises to be unified
with Wilson James’ exemplary
standing in the security industry.”
Wilson James and TSG
customers will see no interruption
to the high levels of service they
currently experience. In the long-term,
both stand to gain as TSG is
integrated into the Wilson James
organisation, synergies are
identified and sources of greater
customer value duly created.
Growth strategy
Previously serving as the company’s
managing director for security and
aviation, in the newly-created
position of chief operating officer,
Gemma Quirke is responsible for
overseeing Wilson James’ growth
strategy, implementing new
corporate initiatives, strengthening
strategic partnerships and ensuring
that Wilson James remains resilient
and agile as the company expands.
In her two decades of working at
Wilson James, Quirke has gained
considerable insight into the
specific needs of customers in a
diverse array of vertical sectors and
end user environments. Going
forward, Quirke will use this
experience to full effect in
overseeing operational functions
and the integration of all service
lines for the organisation with an
emphasis on technological
innovation and a partnership
approach towards service provision.
NPCC: “Police
recorded
crime drops
by 6%”
PROVISIONAL DATA collated
from police forces in England
and Wales shows that police
recorded crime is 6% lower than
in the same period for 2019.
Fixed Penalty Notices given to
members of the public for
breaches of Coronavirus
Regulations are rising, however,
as restrictions are re-applied.
The snapshot figures are based
on preliminary police recorded
crime (excluding fraud, which is
recorded centrally by Action
Fraud) provided to the National
Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC)
from 43 forces in England and
Wales and cover the four weeks
to 27 September 2020 compared
with the same period last year.
This is the seventh crime
trends update since the
beginning of COVID-19
restrictions across England and
Wales, with the figures indicating
that overall crime trends remain
similar to pre-lockdown levels,
although some crime types
continue to be well below this
level and suppressed by the
ongoing COVID-19 restrictions.
Assaults on Emergency
Services workers continue to
show a concerning 27% increase
on the same period last year.
Within this, assaults on police
officers (both with and without
injury resulting) have increased
by around the 20% mark.
Acts of serious violent crime –
including Grievous Bodily Harm,
Actual Bodily Harm and
personal robbery – have reduced
by 10% compared to a year ago,
while shoplifting (down 26%),
vehicle crime (down 19%) and
residential burglary (down 25%)
are also lower than for the same
period in 2019.
Martin Hewitt, chair of the
NPCC, observed: “As well as
day-to-day policing tasks, we’re
working alongside our partners
locally and nationally in a bid to
tackle this pandemic.”
AS PART of its strategy designed to
increase cyber resilience among
retailers, the British Retail
Consortium (BRC) has worked
alongside experts at the National
Cyber Security Centre to develop a
new toolkit which supports business
leaders in taking steps to reduce the
threat of a successful attack.
The Cyber Resilience Toolkit for
Retail is an actionable guide
designed for non-cyber experts such
as Board members, those in senior
strategic roles and also start-up
businesses. It highlights the threats
faced by retailers, key questions to
consider when developing cyber
resilience strategies and guidance on
the types of protection retailers
should seek to implement.
The toolkit covers recommended
actions for retailers in preventing
breaches through stronger
protections, preparation to mitigate
the impact of a successful breach,
recovering after a cyber attack and
developing and, importantly,
embedding a positive cyber
resilience culture at Board level.
Retail harbours one of the most
advanced digital offerings of any
industry and, as a result, has become
a prime target. Retailers are
constantly striving to improve the
shopping experience and spent £186
million in the past year on deploying
cutting-edge systems to protect their
customers and prevent breaches.
There has been a huge shift to
online commerce since the start of
the Coronavirus pandemic. In May,
online sales accounted for over one
third of all retail sales (at 32.8%)
which marks a substantial jump
from 18.8% 12 months earlier.
Furthermore, processes across the
supply chain are being rapidly
digitised and automated, from e-commerce,
cloud systems and shift
patterns through to payroll and
procurement. Greater dependence
on these technologies has brought
greater cyber risk, with the hackers
becoming increasingly more
sophisticated in their tactics.
Challenges of the pandemic
Helen Dickinson OBE, CEO at the
BRC, explained: “Our new toolkit,
which has been developed with the
input of the National Cyber Security
Centre, will ensure that all retailers,
no matter their size or level of cyber
expertise, are well-equipped to face
the challenge. This is yet another
example of the BRC supporting
retailers through the ongoing digital
transformation. Consumers must
also play their part. More must be
done to educate the public on basic
cyber hygiene such that people are
able to browse and shop safely.”
Wilson James finalises strategic
acquisition of The Security Group
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