Fashion Retailer TFG London Hit by Cyberattack, Disrupting Hobbs, Phase Eight, and Whistles Brands
The Foschini Group (TFG) has confirmed a cybersecurity incident affecting its UK fashion brands Hobbs, Phase Eight, and Whistles, leading to IT system disruptions and potential order delays.
South African retail giant The Foschini Group (TFG) confirmed on Tuesday that its UK business, TFG London, discovered a cybersecurity incident on October 11 that affected its fashion brands Hobbs, Phase Eight, and Whistles. As of October 13, several IT systems remain offline, and the company is still working to determine if any personal or sensitive information has been compromised.
The incident has not forced any physical store closures, but TFG has warned customers that some website functionalities may be unavailable. Orders placed on or after Sunday, October 11, could experience delays due to the ongoing disruption. "Stores are open as normal but some of our brand's website capabilities may not be available as the investigation continues," a TFG spokesperson stated. "We apologize for any disruption and will provide additional updates to our customers as appropriate."
In response to the breach, TFG stated it immediately activated its incident response and business continuity plans. The company has also engaged external cybersecurity specialists and has notified the relevant UK authorities, including the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), though the ICO had not responded to inquiries at the time of reporting.
For concerned shoppers, TFG London has provided some reassurance regarding payment information. According to an email sent to customers, a third-party provider handles payment processing for the brands. Based on the ongoing investigation, TFG has stated there is no reason to believe that payment information has been compromised.
However, the possibility of other customer data being accessed remains under investigation. TFG is actively looking into this and has committed to notifying affected individuals or organizations if evidence of a compromise is found. The company has not yet disclosed the attack vector, whether ransomware was involved, or a timeline for full system restoration.
The disruption appears to be isolated to the three specific fashion brands under TFG London. TFG has confirmed that its other businesses, including White Stuff and Inside Story, as well as its operations in Africa and Australia, which utilize separate IT systems, remain unaffected by this incident.
This attack occurs during a challenging period for the fashion retail sector, which has seen several high-profile cyber incidents recently. Last week, ASOS confirmed a breach where an attacker gained access to an employee account, subsequently accessing third-party platforms holding customer data. Additionally, H&M is reportedly investigating claims of a data compromise involving the ShinyHunters cybercrime group, though no breach has been confirmed.
While there is currently no evidence linking the incidents at TFG London, ASOS, and H&M, the spate of cyber troubles affecting major fashion retailers highlights a growing trend of cybercriminals targeting the sector. The ongoing incident response efforts across these companies underscore the persistent threat landscape faced by the retail industry.