Cybera Signs Deal with Shell to Offer Branded Wholesalers a Payment Fraud Prevention Platform with Next-Generation Cloud Security Services

Cybera, Inc., today announced an agreement with Shell Oil Products US and Motiva Enterprises LLC (Shell) to offer its Cybera ONE Security Services Platform to Shell-branded wholesalers nationwide. With the Cybera ONE service, the company’s branded wholesalers and their operators will be able to reduce exposure to offline card fraud, while adding key network security services to protect cardholder data in stores.

“Making solutions like this available to our Shell-branded wholesalers at a competitive cost reinforces our commitment to deliver technology leadership,” said Walt Gothard, Shell Technology Manager North America. “Strategically, this deal provides a platform for future technology developments to come while tactically helping our branded wholesalers minimize their exposure to offline conditions.”

At the site level, in the event a point-of-sale terminal is unable to connect for a credit authorization, it is common to authorize transactions up to a limited amount while the network is “offline.” Once the network reconnects, transmissions are submitted for approval. This has resulted in a high level of offline card fraud activities which can affect companies like Shell and the wholesaler or operator. According to recent industry media coverage, while it is still unknown how much is lost annually to pump fraud, estimates from Petroleum Convenience Alliance for Technology (PCATS) and major oil companies indicate that average store losses can be as high as $1,600 a year. Gray Taylor, who heads PCATS said, “…in terms of gallons needed to be sold to make up that amount, it’s pretty big.” Beyond the averages, losses at stores with high rates of fraud have been dramatically greater.

The Cybera ONE security services platform simplifies security, compliance and cloud-based application delivery for distributed enterprises. As a security solution designed to work over any broadband Internet connection, Cybera ONE allows Shell branded locations to securely use broadband connectivity for payment transaction processing and removes the dependence on older generation satellite technology. Further, Cybera ONE helps protect Shell locations from offline fraud by using embedded 3G or LTE wireless capabilities to ensure network connectivity is maintained even when the primary broadband connection is unavailable. This makes fraudulent transactions during times of network unavailability less likely to occur, and allows for mission-critical applications such as payment processing and loyalty solutions to continue to work as normal, enabling a better customer experience and preventing loss of business.

The Cybera ONE solution typically includes managed Firewall, Wireless IDS, and Virtual Private Network coupled with a cloud-based infrastructure encompassing authentication and authorization, security information and event management, VPN concentrators, centralized configuration management and other security applications necessary for distributed enterprises. As part of the agreement with Shell, the Cybera ONE platform has been additionally enhanced for its wholesalers to include protocol conversion capabilities, embedded wireless, and customized reporting.

The Cybera ONE Platform eliminates the need for Shell-branded wholesalers to deploy multiple devices at each of their stations to serve all their networking, security and wireless needs. Cybera ONE provides them with a cloud-based platform that delivers all of the hosted network security services needed at their locations in a single plug-and-play solution at one low fee. This delivery model eliminates significant upfront capital investments and ongoing upgrade costs for in-store for security infrastructure. The extensible Cybera ONE service platform offers Shell-branded wholesalers the ability to quickly and easily implement a variety of additional applications for security, compliance and onsite operations over time. This solution is available immediately.

“Cybera has fundamentally redefined simplicity in delivering cloud-based security and other custom applications to customers in the petroleum industry,” said Cliff Duffey, CEO of Cybera. “Because of the impact of offline fraud, companies such as Shell are taking more control over evaluating and recommending security solutions to their branded wholesalers and operators. Cybera offers the most comprehensive, easy-to-deploy network security solution for retailers, enabling them to protect the company’s brand while better serving their own customers.”

About Cybera

Cybera, Inc. is a leader in cloud-based security and application services for multi-site retailers and merchants. The company’s Cybera ONE platform provides the greatest flexibility in deploying security and application services to multi-site businesses at the lowest cost and risk. Cybera is the first company to deliver all the network security services needed for a remote retail location, including managed Firewall, Wireless IDS, Virtual Private Network and security information and event management, in a single cloud-based platform at one low fee. Cybera is the industry’s only open security platform that allows customers to deliver their own custom applications via Cybera ONE. Cybera’s security solutions are deployed at more than 10,000 businesses throughout the United States across leading brands, including Shell Oil, Wendy’s, Taco Bell, Blimpie, Cold Stone Creamery, O’Reilly Auto Parts and many others. Cybera has been named to the Inc. 5000 for five consecutive years, and the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 for two consecutive years. For more information about Cybera, visit www.cybera.net.