U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) wants to know what Amazon is doing to protect the millions of retailers selling wares on the ecommerce giant’s site against cyber threats and hackers.
In an April 14 letter to Peter Faricy, vice president of Amazon Marketplace, the senator has requested a description of the steps being taken to assist third-party sellers that have been victimized, as well as the resources being provided to those needing defense against cyberattacks.
“In addition, I request that you provide information detailing the extent of these hacking incidents, including total financial losses and the number of merchants affected,” Shaheen wrote, citing an April Wall Street Journal article that said hackers increasingly consider Amazon’s retailers “a target of choice.”
Given the significant economic and privacy threats posed by such cyberattacks, Shaheen wants Amazon to work toward restoring sellers’ confidence in the company’s security measures.
“Hackers are actively targeting Amazon’s growing community of third-party sellers—including altering bank deposit information and posting nonexistent merchandise—to defraud customers and steal tens of thousands of dollars from unsuspecting small and medium-sized businesses,” Shaheen wrote.
As ranking member of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, Shaheen also pointed out that small business owners regularly testify about not having the time nor resources to defend themselves against these sophisticated cyberattacks.
According to the U.S. National Cyber Security Alliance, 60 percent of small companies are unable to sustain their businesses over six months following a cyberattack.
“It is essential large technology partners like Amazon provide the more than two million retailers who sell on its site the tools and support necessary to prepare for cyber threats and recover when hackers strike,” the senator wrote in the letter.
Shaheen did not set a deadline date for Amazon’s response.