Rebecca Steer writes for Drapers on how retailers can prepare for upcoming cyber legislation

Cyber-security has always been front of mind for retailers. With access to a significant amount of customer data, complex supply chains and a reliance on digital systems and technologies, they are an attractive prospect for cyber-criminals. 

The issue has been brought to the fore, particularly over the past few months, with a number of high street stalwarts and fashion brands facing cyber-attacks. Many are still dealing with the fallout. These types of attacks have the potential to cause significant disruption to businesses and sectors – impacting sales, business operations and supply chains sometimes for prolonged periods.

Rebecca Steer, Partner in our Commercial team, provides advice on this topic to retail and fashion businesses in an article for Drapers. In the piece, Rebecca looks at issues such as the need for companies to appropriately and regularly assess their supply chains, noting that "businesses within the scope of the Bill, such as MSPs, will all need to ensure they have appropriate "technical and methodological security requirements." She continues:

We are still a way off on the Bill being introduced to Parliament, but until then, retailers should focus on understanding the risk that cyber incidents present to their business, ensure their business has adequate cyber resilience to prevent, detect and respond to attacks, monitor the Bill to identify if they will be within scope and work closely with their suppliers, including insurers. 

"Finally, where they can, retailers should focus on giving consumers confidence that they are equipped to protect their operations, customer data and reputation in an increasingly volatile digital landscape.

Read the full article in Drapers here (subscription required).