KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell parent company Yum Brands! shut down nearly 300 restaurants in the UK after getting hit by ransomware attack.

By Divya Bhati: KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and The Habit Burger Grill were recently hit by a ransomware attack in the UK. Yum! Brands which own and operate these global fast-food chains reveal that nearly 300 restaurants across the country were impacted and the attackers have stolen data. However, the company has reassured its customers that there is no evidence that their personal information has been exposed.

Yum Brands! in its statements states that the recent ransomware attack impacted certain information technology systems. Following the attack, the company closed down nearly 300 affected restaurants in the United Kingdom for one day. ” Less than 300 restaurants in the United Kingdom were closed for one day, but all stores are now operational. The Company is actively engaged in fully restoring affected systems, which is expected to be largely complete in the coming days, Yum Brand said in the statement.”

Additionally, the company has also deployed response protocols, including shutting down certain systems and implementing enhanced monitoring technology. It has also enlisted the help of cybersecurity and forensics experts, as well as notified federal law enforcement.

In the meantime, the affected restaurants have now resumed normal operations and the company has stated that the attack is not expected to have a significant financial impact. “Although data was taken from the Company’s network and an investigation is ongoing, at this stage, there is no evidence that customer databases were stolen. 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,” the statement further reads.

However, the company which owns Pizza Hut chain and Taco Bell, has not specified which restaurants were impacted by the attack.

What is ransomware attack

In ransomware, cyber attackers encrypt the victim’s files and demand payment in exchange for the decryption key. To gain access of the files, these attackers gain access to targeted systems through phishing or through malicious mails or software apps. Such attacks can cause a significant impact on the victim and in the cases of ransom attacks on restaurants or malls, the sensitive data of customers becomes vulnerable.

In order to prevent ransom attacks, one can get good monitoring and applications like antivirus, frequently backup files, and use anti-malware software. While precautionary measures can not prevent attacks altogether,, it do limit the chances of your data getting stolen in a cyber attack.