Ransomware attack on Panasonic’s Blue Yonder disrupts supply chains in UK and US
A ransomware attack on Panasonic Corp.-owned supply chain management company Blue Yonder Group Inc. resulted in supply chain delays and issues in the U.K. and U.S. over the weekend and into today.
The ransomware attack, which was detected on Nov. 21, caused disruptions to Blue Yonder’s managed services hosted environment. In contrast to many other companies, Blue Yonder has disclosed that the attack involved ransomware and provided updates on its website, though without a lot of detail.
As of Nov. 23, the company said it was working around the clock, together with external cybersecurity firms, to restore systems safely. “Our investigation remains ongoing, but please know that our priority is to ensure a safe and secure recovery,” Blue Yonder wrote. “At this point in time, we do not have a timeline for restoration.”
The Blue Yonder outage has disrupted services on both sides of the Atlantic. CNN reported Sunday that in the U.K., two of the four biggest grocery chains were affected by the outage. Wm. Morrisons Supermarkets Ltd. said the outage has interrupted the smooth flow of goods to stores.
In the U.S., it’s not entirely clear which companies have been affected; however, Blue Yonder customers include Albertsons Companies Inc. — the parent company of chains like Safeway Inc. and Jewel-Osco — and Kroger Co., the parent company of chains like Ralphs Grocery Co. and Fred Meyer Inc. Other companies known to use Blue Yonder include Proctor & Gamble Co. and Anheuser-Busch Inc.
One confirmed Blue Yonder customer is Starbucks Corp., with Reuters reporting today that the outage is affecting the company’s ability to pay baristas and manage their schedules.
Though the form of ransomware used in the attack has not been disclosed, the attack does highlight the vulnerability of supply chain networks.
“The supplier ecosystem is a highly desirable target for ransomware groups,” Steve Cobb, chief information security officer at supply chain detection and response company SecurityScorecard Inc., told SiliconANGLE via email. “Third-party breach victims are often not aware of an incident until they receive a ransomware note, allowing time for attackers to infiltrate numerous companies without being detected. These organizations house vast amounts of sensitive data, making them prime targets for threat actors and amplifying the attack surface of a single breach.”
Cobb added that “while these supply chain attacks typically focus on data security and privacy concerns, organizations should approach these incidents with a broader focus on cyber resiliency, considering how these attacks impact their ability to serve customers and recover business operations. Organizations must consider this a wake-up call to enhance proactive security measures, including their third-party providers.”
Duncan Angove, chief executive officer of Blue Yonder, spoke with theCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media’s live streaming studio, in July about supply chain challenges with artificial intelligence and data clouds:
Image: SiliconANGLE/Ideogram
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