E-commerce has always been somewhat unpredictable, characterized by predictable peaks on “shopping holidays” such as Black Friday (and the weekend that follows) and Singles Day. Other more “everyday” events and trends make online shopping spikes inevitable but completely unpredictable, such as when a celebrity wears something that sparks off a spike in demand. 

E-commerce platforms, in preparation for the strain that will hit their sites in the lead-up to holiday shopping and promotions, work hard to ensure uptime and performance. Does this focus take away from their preparedness for the cracks in security that almost inevitably arise during these peak traffic periods?