The Works closes branches and delays deliveries due to cyber attack

HIGH street chain The Works has closed some branches and delayed deliveries due to a cyber attack.

The discount retailer has been targeted by hackers, causing disruption for shoppers.

In total, five stores have been closed due to problems with the tills and some deliveries to stores were suspended.

Shoppers might have to wait longer for their online orders due to the hack.

The company said store deliveries will resume "imminently" and normal online service levels are being reintroduced.

It's not yet clear which five stores are closed due to the hack or when they will reopen.

The company, which has 526 branches across the UK, would not comment on how many online orders are affected.

Customer financial information has not been compromised in the hack, which saw cyber attackers gain unauthorised access to The Works' computer systems.

That's because debit and credit card payment data is process via third-party networks, it said.

The company disabled all internal and external access to its systems, including email, following the hack.

"Customers can continue to shop safely at The Works, both in store and online," a spokesperson said.

"All debit and credit card payment data are processed securely outside the group's systems, via accredited third-party networks and, therefore, there is no risk that this payment data has been accessed improperly."

However, it is not yet clear if any other data has been accessed.

It has reported the incident to the Information Commissioner's Office as a precaution.

The retailer has hired external forensic cyber security experts to investigate the hack and strengthen its protection against future attacks.

KP Snacks, which makes Hula Hoops and McCoy's crisps, was the victim of a cyber attack in February.

The hack led to shortages of the company's products, which also include Skips, Butterkist popcorn and KP nuts.

KP warned of shortages after revealing it had been targeted by a ransomware attack.

It said that hackers had compromised its systems and that it could not process orders or dispatch orders.