Ransomware Attack Shuts Down KFC and Pizza Hut Brand Owner`s Restaurants
Around 300 Restaurants in the UK Were Impacted by the Attack.
On January 18th, Yum! Brands closed almost 300 of its restaurants in the UK due to a ransomware attack launched by an unknown malicious group.
The US-based company owns KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell fast-food restaurant chains, among others, and reported making $1.3 billion in yearly net profit. The impacted restaurants were only closed for one day and are now functional, although the affected systems are not yet fully restored.
Security Measures That Followed the Ransomware Attack
Yum! Brands notified Federal law enforcement and initiated an investigation. For now, there is no information regarding when did the breach happen and how long did threat actors have access to the compromised networks. At the moment, it is clear that some data was leaked from the Company’s network but until now forensics found no evidence of customers` data being stolen.
According to Yum! Brands, their response protocols included:
- taking offline the affected systems
- enforcing enhanced monitoring technology
Ransomware attacks are usually followed by threat actors` trying to extort their victims. However, Yum! Brands stated that no negative financial impact is expected to happen due to this attack:
While this incident caused temporary disruption, the company is aware of no other restaurant disruptions and does not expect this event to have a material adverse impact on its business, operations or financial results.
UK Ransomware Attack Series
At least two other significant ransomware attacks were performed recently on famous UK brands.
Last week, a cyberattack linked to LockBit ransomware hit Royal Mail, the UK’s largest mail delivery service. The incident caused stopping international shipping services.
Another famous victim of ransomware attacks was The Guardian newspaper, which was a target of threat actors a few days before Christmas. Although the website continued to be updated with fresh stories, the management had to ask the employees to work remotely until the incident was resolved.
If you liked this article, follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, and Instagram for more cybersecurity news and topics.
