Why Cyberattacks Are More Than an Inconvenience for Convenience Stores: 5 Cybersecurity Myths That Could Cost You

Many convenience store owners assume their business is too small, too local, or too low-tech to attract cybercriminals.

But around-the-clock operations with limited supervision, exposed outdoor payment systems, and critical infrastructure like fuel automation make them prime targets for attacks that blend physical access with digital intrusion.

All it takes is one distracted employee or unsecured terminal to trigger a full-scale breach—leaking customer data, disrupting the fuel supply, or even causing environmental damage.

These following 5 cybersecurity myths are leaving thousands of convenience stores wide open to attacks right now:

Myth #1: “Physical security addresses all of my major risks.”

The doors are locked. The staff is trained to handle theft. Cameras and alarms are installed. But none of that will stop a malware infection from taking point-of-sale (POS) systems offline at midnight.

Today’s attackers don’t always wear masks and burst through the front door. They infiltrate small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) like convenience stores by slipping in through phishing emails, mobile apps, vendor portals, and exposed APIs. In the past year alone:

• 48% of SMBs received phishing attacks.
• 24% were hit with malware.
• 22% had no cybersecurity policies for internet-connected devices.

Physical defenses matter—but if security plans end at the front door, the business is left wide open to cyber fraud.

Myth #2: “We’re too small to be a target.”

40% of SMBs believe hackers prefer big companies. But in reality, smaller companies are the first target because they skip the basics and provide an easy win.

Convenience stores often lack full-time IT staff. Many owners juggle daily operations, compliance, and vendor relationships—leaving security to non-experts. In 74% of cases, owners manage cybersecurity themselves or rely on a friend or relative.

The result?

• No formal or centralized security plan across multiple store locations.
• No employee training.
• No one monitoring for network compromise.

Even simple protections get ignored—23% of SMBs still use easy-to-guess passwords based on pets, birthdays, or simple number patterns.

Breaches of one franchise convenience store location can quickly expand to others, damaging broader brand reputation without unified cybersecurity across locations.  

Attackers know all of this. That’s why ransomware attacks on retail surged 74% just last year, with threat groups like Akira and RansomHub using automated tools to scan for soft targets in small franchise environments.

One breach can shut down a convenience store, expose customer and employee data, and cost the business everything. For 1 in 5 small businesses, a single cyberattack is enough to close their doors for good—and for 55% it would take a financial loss of less than $50,000.

Myth #3: “We’ve never had a breach, so we’re secure.”

** No breach you know about. **

Many attacks stay hidden for weeks or even months. During that time, data is exfiltrated, credentials are stolen, malware is embedded—and cashiers are still ringing up sales like everything’s fine.

Today’s attackers don’t just take—they wait. They use AI-generated phishing emails, deepfake voice messages, and lateral movement techniques to quietly move through convenience stores’ systems. One exposed loyalty app or neglected login can open the floodgates to sensitive customer data that’s sold on the dark web.

The worst could already be happening without the store’s knowledge. Addressing cybersecurity proactively is much more impactful than cleaning up a mess after the fact.

Myth #4: “Our vendors handle security, so we don’t have to.”

Your convenience store’s fuel systems, POS terminals, mobile apps, and loyalty platforms may come from different vendors, each with their own protections—but they all lead back to you. And if one of them gets compromised, so does your business.

Attackers know slip ups at one supplier can give them access to the whole supply chain. This is a key reason why Gartner predicted 45% of organizations would experience a supply chain cyberattack by the end of 2025—triple the number from just 4 years ago.

And it can come from anywhere. Case in point: Automatic Tank Gauge (ATG) systems. Just last year, researchers uncovered 11 critical vulnerabilities in common ATG models—8 of which had common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS) severity scores of 9.1 or higher on a 10.0 scale. With the right exploit, attackers can manipulate fuel levels, disable safety alarms, or pivot into POS networks and start harvesting payment data.

Vendor security shouldn't be assumed. It’s worth asking: When were vendors’ security practices last reviewed? And what safeguards are in place in case they fall short?

Myth #5: “We are PCI DSS compliant, so we’re protected.”

54% of SMBs believe that because they’re PCI DSS compliant, their business is cyber secure and consumer data is safe. That’s a dangerous misconception.

PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) was created to protect primary account number (PAN) data—in other words, credit card information. It’s an important safeguard for cardholder data, but it only covers a slice of a convenience store’s overall risk.

It’s a moment-in-time check, not a continuous cyber defense strategy. It won’t stop the cyberattacks convenience stores are least prepared for, including ransomware, supply chain attacks, AI-powered phishing, and social engineering. It won’t protect loyalty programs or fuel systems. And it won’t keep the business running uninterrupted.

As payment systems evolve and cyberattacks grow more sophisticated, relying on PCI alone is not a strategy; it’s a mistake.

Attackers Will Keep Exploiting the Gaps

Convenience stores aren’t just storefronts—they’re connected digital ecosystems. Without active protection, every payment terminal, fuel system, and connected device becomes an open door for attackers.

Cybercriminals don’t need a master plan—just one missed update, one overlooked login, one moment of distraction. They know most SMBs are stretched thin on resources and light on security—and they know exactly where to strike.

So, What Now?

Only 15% of SMBs are partnering with MSSPs that know how convenience stores operate—and how attackers think. But that number is set to grow fast.

MSSPs enable multi-location convenience stores to stop threats before they disrupt operations. They help store owners achieve enterprise-grade protection without the enterprise-sized budget through:

• Real-Time Protection Across All Locations: Continuous threat monitoring, asset tracking, and compliance visibility—whether it’s for 5 stores or 500.
• 24x7 Access to Expert Support: A global team of cybersecurity specialists is always on-call to investigate threats and respond fast.
• Proactive Defense, Built In: leveraging ethical hacking and penetration testing to uncover vulnerabilities before attackers do.

The only thing that should be convenient about your store is the shopping experience—not how easy you are to hack. Let's talk about how VikingCloud can make your business inconveniently secure for cyber attackers.