Retailers Looking for Next Steps from President on Cybersecurity

PRESS RELEASE

Arlington, VA - The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) issued the following statement in advance of President Obama’s State of the Union address.

"Passage of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA) was a strong first step in defending American businesses and consumers,” said Nicholas Ahrens, RILA's vice president for privacy and cybersecurity. “Giving businesses the tools and legal protections needed to share cyber-threat indicators was only a first step, and retailers look forward to hearing more from the President tonight on how we can work together to combat the criminal syndicates and rogue states using cyber-attacks to threaten America’s economy.  

"Cyber-attacks and the criminal elements that sponsor them are continually growing more sophisticated. Tonight the President has an opportunity to remind Congress and the nation that we must continue to take this threat seriously, and work together in an effort to safeguard businesses, institutions, infrastructure, and governments from cyber-attacks."

RILA is the trade association of the world's largest and most innovative retail companies. RILA members include more than 200 retailers, product manufacturers, and service suppliers, which together account for more than $1.5 trillion in annual sales, millions of American jobs and more than 100,000 stores, manufacturing facilities and distribution centers domestically and abroad.