Flash drive-sniffing dogs, warnings for retailers and burgers that may have cost you way too much

Do you keep up with the latest cyber security news? Here are a few interesting recent items you may have missed:

‣ Police dogs are being trained to sniff out flash drives, destroyed computers and other electronic devices to help prosecute child pornographers.

Only one out of every 50 dogs tested is able to become an Electronic Storage Detection, or ESD, dog, Kerry Halligan, a K-9 instructor for the Connecticut State Police, told CNET Magazine. It is much more difficult for a dog to learn to detect the telltale chemical in electronics than to sniff out narcotics, bombs or people, she said. Labrador retrievers seem to be best suited to the task. Read more here.

‣ Did you go to Hawaii recently? Did you eat at Zippy’s? Was your credit or debit card information compromised?  According to an Associated Press report, you might want to look into it.

As you travel this vacation season, you may find yourself tempted to use your card more often at restaurants, shops, etc. Be careful and consider paying with cash when you can. Read more about it here.

‣ Today’s retailers no longer have to worry just about shoplifters or thieving employees, they also need to protect against digital crimes. According to a USA Today report, retailers in the U.S. have done a good job at reducing losses from shoplifters, price tag switchers and people who nibble food in the produce aisle. Such losses, called retail shrink, dropped to $46.8 billion in 2017, down from $48.9 billion in 2016, according to the annual survey by the National Retail Federation and the University of Florida.

However, retailers have new things to worry about. “Cybersecurity concerns are top-of-mind for retailers today as criminals continue to become more sophisticated in this area,” Richard Hollinger, a University of Florida criminology professor and the lead author of the report, told USA Today. “This is a growing threat that will require more resources going forward. Retail executives need to invest more in loss prevention to reduce these losses to their bottom line.” Read more about that story here.

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