In a concerning development for the retail sector, a prominent U.K. retail chain has announced the temporary shutdown of several IT systems due to a recent cyberattack attempt. This incident highlights the increasing vulnerability of businesses to cyber threats in today’s digital landscape.
A representative from the company, Mark Carrington, revealed that the organization has encountered attempts by cybercriminals to infiltrate its systems. In response, the company has taken proactive measures to safeguard its operations. However, these actions have led to some disruptions in back office and call center functions, affecting overall service delivery.
At this point, it remains uncertain whether the cyber intrusions were successful in breaching the company’s defenses.
Despite the ongoing situation, the retail chain reassured its customers that store operations continue as usual, and there is no need for customers to alter their shopping habits at this time.
When approached for further details, the company refrained from disclosing specific information about the nature of the cyber incident, such as whether it involved ransomware. Additionally, it did not confirm if the incident had been reported to the U.K.’s data protection authority, the Information Commissioner’s Office, which is a requirement in cases of suspected data breaches. The company has confirmed its collaboration with the National Cyber Security Centre to address the situation.
The spokesperson also declined to comment on whether there had been any communication with the cybercriminals involved, including potential ransomware groups.
This incident comes on the heels of another cybersecurity breach affecting a different U.K. retailer, which recently confirmed a cyberattack that disrupted customer order pickups. This retailer has already notified the U.K. data regulator, suggesting a possible data breach, and the fallout from that incident has persisted for over a week.