Cyberattack forces established UK retailers to temporarily close stores

A cyberattack on British retailer The Works resulted in the closure of several locations, delayed restocking, and delayed delivery of customers’ online orders.

The Works, which was founded in 1981 and now has over 520 outlets across the UK, sells inexpensive books, crafts, and toys. Despite the fact that the computer system was hacked, officials emphasised that the hackers did not have access to client payment information as a result of the incident.

According to the firm, “Our transactions and business operations have been hampered, and several outlets have been forced to close as a result of the inability to receive funds in a timely manner. We have temporarily halted replenishment of other stores in the group, as well as deferred the scheduled delivery of online purchases. Stores, on the other hand, are likely to reopen shortly, and internet services will gradually return to normal.”

As a precaution, the corporation has banned internal and external access to computer systems, including email systems, and is “working with specialists to investigate and rectify existing concerns,” according to the statement.

Customers’ payment data was not compromised by the assault, according to The Works, because all debit and credit card transactions were processed by third-party suppliers outside of company systems.

Customers may continue to buy safely at The Works shops and online without fear of unwanted access to payment information, according to the firm.

Meanwhile, the corporation has recruited cybersecurity specialists to look into the incident, although it’s unknown whether additional sorts of data were obtained.

According to the firm, “While payment information remains secure, it is yet unclear how much additional information was compromised. We have reported the incident to the Information Commissioner’s Office as a precaution.”

The Works has a 41-year history as a public London-based firm, and the cyber assault should not have a major detrimental impact on its commercial development or financial position.

KP Snacks, a well-known British snack maker (which owns brands including Hula Hoops, McCoy’s and Tyrrells potato chips, Butterkist, Skips, Nik Naks, and KP Nuts) was also hacked in February of this year. The supply issues that resulted lasted until the end of March.

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