Yum! brands announces ransomware attack on its systems

American fast food corporation Yum! which operates the brands KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and more has announced a ransomware attack that impacted certain information technology systems.

The attack resulted in 300 of its restaurants in the UK being closed for a day. 

Yum! said in a statement: "Promptly upon detection of the incident, we initiated response protocols, including deploying containment measures such as taking certain systems offline and implementing enhanced monitoring technology. We also initiated an investigation, engaged the services of industry-leading cybersecurity and forensics professionals, and notified Federal law enforcement."

Yum! says it is actively engaged in fully restoring affected systems. Although data was taken from its network and an investigation is ongoing, at this stage, Yum! says there is no evidence that customer databases were stolen.

"While this incident caused temporary disruption, the company is aware of no other restaurant disruptions and does not expect this event to have a material adverse impact on its business, operations or financial results," the statement concluded. 

The Louisville, Kentucky-based firm franchises or operates more than 53,000 restaurants in 155 countries. The ransomware attack on Yum! marks the latest in a series of cyberattacks and data breaches affecting the restaurant and food delivery industries in recent months.