Major retailer's systems DOWN with shoppers ‘unable to pay in stores across UK'

Scottish Sun

a day ago

It is not known whether this was the result of a cyber attack
STORE CHAOS Major retailer's systems DOWN with shoppers 'unable to pay in stores across UK'
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
SHOPPERS were unable to buy products from a major retailed across UK stores today after a reported system failure.
H&M customers at branches up and down the country were turned away for several hours after an issue with the company's payment tech, as reported by MailOnline.
Sign up for Scottish Sun
newsletter
Sign up
2
The cause of the failure is unknown
Credit: Getty
A worker at London site reported they had been unable sell any items for around two hours.
It is not known if online customers were affected, or if this was a nationwide problem.
The cause of the apparent system failure, and whether it was a cyber attack, is also unknown.
A spokesperson for H&M told The Sun: "We are aware of the problem and are looking into resolving it as quickly as possible.
"We apologise to our customers for the inconvenience."
This comes after jeweller Cartier and fashion brand The North Face are the latest victims of cyber attacks.
Cartier, whose watches are worn by stars such as Cate Blanchett, said: 'An unauthorised party gained temporary access to our system.
"We contained the issue and further enhanced the protection of our systems and data.'
North Face said it discovered a 'small-scale' attack in April. It advised customers to change their passwords.
Both brands said customer names and email addresses were taken, but not financial information.
It is the latest in a wave of attacks that began with Marks And Spencer and the Co-Op facing severe disruption in April.
Last month, Harrods joined to list, followed by Adidas which was also hit.
Co-op stores have even started flogging Christmas pastries in May — amid stock supply chaos after a crippling cyber attack.
In a desperate bid to fill empty shelves the chain shipped out the chicken and cranberry Festive ­Slices to some supermarkets.
The £1.90 treats are typically sold in November and December.
But ongoing online problems meant they were available again last week.
Co-op's internal ordering system was hit last month before the retailer pulled the plug on its own software to limit the damage.
As a result some branches have been sent the winter warmers instead of the anticipated summer supplies.
Private customer data was stolen in the hack but the Co-op said that did not include passwords, bank or credit card details.
The criminals suspected to be behind the attack are known collectively as "Scattered Spider" - one of the most prolific cybergangs of the past 18 months.
The gang specialises in ransomware - a type of attack designed to steal information or access in exchange for a sum of money.
They have been gaining a reputation for targeting large, customer-facing organisations through social engineering and identity-focused tactics.
What is a cyber attack?
A CYBER attack is any deliberate attempt to disrupt, damage, or gain unauthorised access to computer systems, networks, or digital devices.
These attacks can target individuals, businesses, or even governments, and their motives can range from financial gain to political disruption.
Cyber attacks can take many forms, employing various techniques to achieve their malicious goals.
Common types of cyber attacks include: Malware: Malicious software designed to damage or gain control of a system. Examples include viruses, worms, ransomware, and spyware.
Malicious software designed to damage or gain control of a system. Examples include viruses, worms, ransomware, and spyware. Phishing: Deceptive attempts to trick individuals into revealing sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, or credit card details, often through fake emails or websites.
Deceptive attempts to trick individuals into revealing sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, or credit card details, often through fake emails or websites. Denial-of-Service (DoS) Attacks: Flooding a network or server with traffic to overwhelm its resources and make it unavailable to legitimate users.
Flooding a network or server with traffic to overwhelm its resources and make it unavailable to legitimate users. SQL Injection: Exploiting vulnerabilities in website databases to gain unauthorised access to data.
Exploiting vulnerabilities in website databases to gain unauthorised access to data. Ransomware: Malware that encrypts a victim's data and demands a ransom for its release.
Malware that encrypts a victim's data and demands a ransom for its release. Social Engineering: Manipulating individuals into performing actions or divulging confidential information.