UK, US retail giants hit by ongoing disruption after ransomware attack on supply chain firm

Blue Yonder, one of the world’s largest supply chain software providers, is facing significant disruption following a ransomware attack that has impacted several major U.S. and U.K. retailers. The Arizona-based company, acquired by Panasonic in 2021, confirmed the attack in a statement on its website Friday, stating that the incident affected its managed services hosted environment. While the company is working diligently to recover, it has not provided a timeline for restoration.

The extent of the impact is unclear, with Blue Yonder not specifying how many of its 3,000 corporate customers are affected. Representatives for the company have not responded to inquiries. However, two of the largest supermarkets in the U.K. confirmed that they were experiencing disruptions due to the ransomware attack.

Morrisons, with nearly 500 stores across the U.K., reported that its warehouse management systems for fresh produce were affected. A spokesperson noted that the company is relying on backup systems and working hard to ensure continued service. Sainsbury’s, which operates over 2,300 supermarkets in the U.K., also confirmed the disruption but later stated that its services had been restored.

In the U.S., Starbucks reported that the ransomware attack had disrupted its ability to pay baristas and manage schedules, forcing managers to manually calculate payroll.

Not all of Blue Yonder's customers have been impacted by downtime or disruption. Both Tesco, the largest supermarket chain in the U.K., and DHL Supply Chain, a division of the German logistics giant DHL, confirmed to TechCrunch that they were not affected by the ransomware attack.

As of now, no major ransomware group has claimed responsibility for the attack, and it is unclear whether any customer data was compromised.

In its latest update, posted on Sunday, Blue Yonder stated that its investigation and efforts to restore services are still ongoing.