A ransomware attack on Blue Yonder, a supply chain management software provider, has caused significant disruptions for several prominent companies, including Starbucks, one of the world's leading coffee chains. The Arizona-based company, known for its AI-driven digital solutions, disclosed last week that its services were compromised by a cyber incident, impacting many of its 3,000 clients.
The company stated that it is working with cybersecurity experts to mitigate the effects of the attack, but many functions remain hindered. According to reports, the incident has forced Starbucks stores in North America to revert to manual scheduling techniques and has hampered their payroll processes, potentially affecting 11,000 locations.
Starbucks spokesperson Jaci Anderson assured that the company is committed to ensuring that all employees are paid accurately for their hours, despite the ongoing disruptions. Customers, however, are still being served as usual at its coffee outlets, which continue to operate amidst the turmoil.
Morrisons, one of the UK’s major grocery chains and also a Blue Yonder client, confirmed that the attack has notably disturbed its warehouse management systems for fresh produce, illustrating the wide-reaching impact of the incident. Other retailers like Sainsbury’s are similarly affected due to their reliance on Blue Yonder’s technology.
As investigations continue, Blue Yonder has not specified which of its services or clients have been most severely impacted, leaving a cloud of uncertainty hanging over operations for many businesses reliant on its software. The situation remains fluid as updates from Blue Yonder are anticipated in the coming days.
