Hidden cyber risks emerge as Asia retailers handle peak shopping demand

Bot activity, account takeover attempts, and payment abuse become harder to detect.

Retailers across the Asia-Pacific region face rising exposure to hidden cybersecurity threats during major shopping periods, as surging digital traffic makes fraud and system abuse harder to detect.

Stephen Bennett, group chief information security officer at Domino’s Pizza Enterprises Ltd, said the biggest threats during peak demand periods are often low-visibility risks such as bot activity, account takeover attempts, and payment abuse.

“Sometimes, the risks that really matter are the ones that don’t scream at you that a headlong disaster is imminent,” he told Retail Asia in an emailed reply to questions. “These are the small risks that accumulate quietly.”

Bennett said promotional periods place additional strain on digital retail infrastructure because of “higher traffic, higher expectations, and more pressure on every system in the chain.”

He said keeping systems running smoothly has become critical for retailers that depend heavily on digital ordering. “If we do not have the ability for customers to place orders and franchisees to run their stores, we do not have anything,” he added.
 

The Asia-Pacific region accounts for more than 60% of global consumers and over half of global e-commerce transactions, according to a March 2026 report by Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Ltd.

The consultancy also noted that 80% of digital transactions in the region happen on smartphones, whilst formats such as live commerce continue to expand across Southeast Asia.

Bennett said growing dependence on delivery apps, payment providers, and third-party marketplaces has widened retailers’ cybersecurity exposure beyond traditional internal systems.

“The customer experiences one journey,” he said. “Security has to reflect that, not just the parts we directly own.”

Kshitij Mulay, chief information officer at Sephora Asia Pte. Ltd., said retailers face rising consumer expectations around both personalisation and data privacy.

“People are in general more aware of cybersecurity risks and protect their personally identifiable information data,” he said in an emailed reply to questions. He added that stronger privacy and security practices increasingly influence customer satisfaction, conversion rates, and spending behaviour.

Mulay said retailers should balance convenience and relevance whilst reducing friction across the shopping journey. “Keep the consumer interest paramount and focus on the problems you’re trying to solve for the customer,” he said.

Both executives said artificial intelligence (AI) is playing a growing role in fraud detection, operational monitoring, and personalised retail experiences, although governance remains essential.

“Artificial intelligence should be applied in the service of those goals, not ahead of them,” Bennett said. “Human accountability has to remain clear.”

Mulay added that AI should support consumer needs rather than replace them.

Both executives are scheduled speakers at Asia Tech x Singapore 2025, through which these interviews were facilitated.