A ransomware attack on Blue Yonder, a leading supply chain management software provider, has created ripples across global retail and manufacturing sectors, affecting major players like Starbucks and prominent UK supermarket chains.
The breach, which occurred on November 21, underscores the cyber risks organizations face during the high-stakes holiday season.
Blue Yonder provides critical supply chain solutions to 46 of the top 100 manufacturers, 64 of the top 100 consumer product companies, and 76 of the top 100 global retailers.
The ransomware attack, which targeted its managed services infrastructure, disrupted operations across its customer base.
In the UK, supermarket giants Morrisons and Sainsbury’s were among the hardest hit.
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According to The Grocer, Morrisons reported challenges in the smooth delivery of goods to stores, with availability in wholesale and convenience outlets dropping to as low as 60% of normal levels.
This disruption could have serious implications for shoppers during the holiday rush. In the United States, Starbucks confirmed the attack impacted backend processes related to employee scheduling and time-tracking.
However, no widespread disruptions have been reported so far. Other Blue Yonder clients in the U.S., including Kimberly-Clark, Campbell’s, Wegmans, and Walgreens, are monitoring the situation closely as recovery efforts continue.
Blue Yonder’s Response
Blue Yonder disclosed the attack on November 21, confirming it was the result of ransomware targeting its managed services-hosted environment.
The company stated that its Azure public cloud environment remained unaffected, with no suspicious activity detected.
“Since learning of the incident, the Blue Yonder team has been working diligently with external cybersecurity firms to recover from this event,” a company spokesperson said in an email statement.
“We’ve implemented defensive and forensic protocols and are keeping our customers informed throughout the investigation.”The company, however, has not provided a timeline for full restoration of services.
The Blue Yonder attack is the latest in a series of high-profile supply chain hacks, including incidents involving Progress Software’s MOVEit, Kaseya, and WordPress.
These breaches highlight the cascading impact that a single compromised vendor can have on its ecosystem of clients. The timing of the attack—during a busy holiday period—follows a well-documented trend.
According to Dark Reading’s Report, Research by cybersecurity firm Semperis found that 86% of ransomware incidents in the past year occurred on holidays or weekends when IT teams are often understaffed.
In the UK and Germany, as much as 75% of organizations report scaling back security operations during these periods, creating vulnerabilities for attackers to exploit.
As Blue Yonder works to mitigate the fallout, businesses relying on its services face ongoing challenges in managing supply chain disruptions.
With the holiday season in full swing, the attack’s timing could not have been worse for organizations relying on seamless supply chain operations.
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