According to a report, around 330 SPAR stores in the north of England are facing a computer crisis that has forced them to close or run their operations in pen and paper. The incident appears to have completely disrupted the systems that control checkouts, points of sale and payment processing systems.
Food distribution firm James Hall and Co, which manages 600 SPAR stores, was also compromised by the attack, so a representative stated: “We are aware of an attack on our IT systems, which could have affected some 330 SPAR stores in the north of England since last night.”
On the other hand, a few hours ago SPAR Ribchester recognized the problem and notified its customers that, for the time being, there is no estimated date for the full restoration of the affected systems. Until the last update of the incident, the affected stores remained closed along with other SPAR distribution points, to a temporary extent until everything is addressed.
Although the characteristics of this incident suggest that it is a ransomware attack, the nature of the incident has not been confirmed. Finally, the UK National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) issued a statement to notify citizens that the incident has already been reported to the authorities and will be addressed in the best possible way.
To learn more about information security risks, malware variants, vulnerabilities and information technologies, feel free to access the International Institute of Cyber Security (IICS) websites.
He is a well-known expert in mobile security and malware analysis. He studied Computer Science at NYU and started working as a cyber security analyst in 2003. He is actively working as an anti-malware expert. He also worked for security companies like Kaspersky Lab. His everyday job includes researching about new malware and cyber security incidents. Also he has deep level of knowledge in mobile security and mobile vulnerabilities.
