Dutch Retailer De Bijenkorf Hit by Cyberattack via Logistics Partner
Dutch luxury retailer De Bijenkorf has reported a cyber incident affecting its logistics provider, potentially exposing customer data and causing delays in orders and refunds.
Dutch luxury department store chain De Bijenkorf is grappling with a cyber incident that originated from a compromise at one of its external logistics providers. The attack has led to disruptions in customer order processing, returns, and refunds, and raises concerns about the potential exposure of sensitive customer data. The retailer emphasized that its own internal systems remain unaffected, with stores, website, and mobile app operating normally.
While customers can continue to place online orders, the incident has significantly slowed down delivery times, as well as the processing of returns and refunds. De Bijenkorf has launched an investigation to ascertain the full extent of the data breach, including identifying the number of affected individuals and the specific types of information compromised. The company stated that the logistics partner immediately took action to block access and implement enhanced security measures.
The potentially exposed data includes customer names, email addresses, postal addresses, phone numbers, and details related to their online purchases, such as ordered products, prices, discounts, delivery information, and payment methods used. For business clients, company names and VAT numbers may also have been affected. Crucially, the logistics provider does not store payment card details, bank account numbers, usernames, or passwords, meaning these critical data points are unlikely to have been compromised. Customer account credentials are also believed to be safe as no login information was involved.
As a precautionary measure, De Bijenkorf has begun notifying potentially affected customers and has formally reported the incident to the Dutch data protection authority. The company has not disclosed whether the attack involved ransomware or if any ransom demands were made, and no threat actor has publicly claimed responsibility for the incident.
This incident is part of a growing trend where cybercriminals target organizations indirectly by compromising third-party vendors and service providers, rather than attacking the primary target directly. These supply chain attacks can have far-reaching consequences, disrupting operations and exposing customer data across various sectors.
Recent examples highlight this pattern: earlier in the week, Polish convenience store chain Żabka disclosed a breach stemming from a compromised external service provider account. In July, Lidl experienced a customer data exposure after attackers breached one of its IT service providers, affecting online stores in Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Also in July, a ransomware attack on Japan's largest refrigerated logistics company disrupted food deliveries nationwide, impacting major restaurant chains.
These third-party compromises underscore the critical importance of robust supply chain security. Retailers and other businesses must ensure that their vendors and partners adhere to stringent security standards, as a breach at a single supplier can have cascading effects on multiple downstream organizations and their customers.
The ongoing investigation by De Bijenkorf and its logistics partner will be crucial in determining the precise impact and informing further security enhancements to prevent similar incidents in the future.