Hobbs, Whistles and Phase Eight Owner Investigates Cybersecurity Incident
TFG London, the UK arm of retail group Foschini Group, is investigating a cybersecurity incident that affected IT systems linked to its Hobbs, Whistles and Phase Eight fashion brands.
The company said it identified the incident on Sunday and that it had particularly affected the three brands.
“We are actively investigating and working with external cybersecurity experts,” TFG London told BBC News.
Fashion brand websites affected
TFG said its stores remained open as usual, although some website features might be unavailable.
“We apologise for the disruption and will provide customers with additional updates as needed,” the company said.
The retail group reportedly told customers in an email that it did not believe their payment information had been affected. However, it said it was still investigating whether sensitive customer information had been compromised.
“As we continue our investigation, we will work to determine whether sensitive information related to our customers was affected,” TFG said.
The email, seen by the PA news agency, said customers whose personal information had been affected would be notified directly. It also said there was no need to change account login information at this time.
Retailers increasingly targeted by cybercriminals
H&M is also investigating separate claims that it was attacked by a notorious hacker group.
Beverley Griffiths, senior lecturer in security and resilience at Bucks New University, told PA that the incident was a “clear sign that big brands are being firmly targeted by cyber attackers”.
Major fashion companies, including Adidas and Alexander McQueen, have also been targeted by cybercriminals seeking to extort money by threatening to release customer data unless a ransom is paid.
“No organisation is immune, so the real test of resilience is how quickly businesses can detect, respond and recover from incidents while keeping customers informed,” Griffiths said.
She urged customers to remain vigilant and watch out for suspicious messages.
Cybersecurity experts warn of wider retail threat
Charlotte Wilson, head of enterprise at cybersecurity firm Check Point, said attacks targeting retailers were “starting to look more like a bus… you wait for one and all of a sudden three come at once”.
Wilson told the BBC that it was too early to confirm how the incident affecting TFG London’s systems happened or whether it was linked to other recent hacks.
“The retail industry has serious questions to answer about the extent to which its systems have been exposed,” Wilson said.
Source: www.bbc.co.uk