Starbucks and Grocery stores hit by Blue Yonder Ransomware Attack

A ransomware attack on supply chain management software provider Blue Yonder has disrupted operations for several major retailers, including Starbucks and UK grocery chains Morrisons and Sainsbury’s. The incident affected Blue Yonder’s managed services hosted environment, leading to significant service interruptions.

Starbucks experienced disruptions in managing employee schedules and payroll, prompting managers to manually calculate payments for baristas across approximately 11,000 North American stores. The company is working to ensure employees are fully compensated for their hours worked.

In the UK, Morrisons reported that the outage impacted its warehouse management systems for fresh produce, necessitating the use of backup systems to maintain operations. Sainsbury’s also implemented contingency plans to ensure continued service, with reports indicating that its systems have since been restored.

Blue Yonder, a subsidiary of Panasonic, is collaborating with external cybersecurity firms to address the incident and has notified affected customers. The company has not provided a specific timeline for full service restoration.

This attack underscores the vulnerabilities in supply chain management systems and the potential widespread impact on businesses reliant on such services. It highlights the critical importance of robust cybersecurity measures to protect against disruptions that can cascade through interconnected networks.

Source: Security Week