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The parent company of several high-end fashion brands, including Hobbs and Whistles, has become the latest retail target of a cyber security incident affecting its UK operations.
TFG London, the UK arm of the retail conglomerate The Foschini Group includes Phase Eight, Hobbs, and Whistles, said it identified an incident on Sunday that affected some of its IT systems.
The company promptly activated its business continuity plan, engaged external cybersecurity specialists and notified relevant authorities. While physical stores across all brands will remain open and operate as normal, online ordering capabilities may experience disruption and orders placed on or after Sunday may experience delays.
TFG emphasizes that payment processing is performed by an independent third-party provider, and preliminary investigations show that there is no reason to believe that customer payment information is at risk.
The company added that if any sensitive customer personal information is affected, affected individuals will be notified immediately. Customers have also been told that changing account login details is not necessary at this time.
The breach follows a relentless wave of security incidents affecting major fashion and retail brands. Just last week, ASOS customers were targeted by hackers who hijacked the retailer’s app push notification system to issue blackmail notices, later revealing detailed personal profiles including recent search histories.
Meanwhile, The Swedish fashion giant H&M announced that it is investigating separate claims of an intrusion by the notorious cyber-criminal group ShinyHunters.
Industry experts warn that these frequent attacks highlight growing vulnerabilities throughout the retail sector. Beverley Griffiths, Senior Lecturer in Security and Resilience at Bucks New University, noted that big brands are firmly in the crosshairs of cyber attacks, stressing that “no organization is immune, so the true test of resilience is how quickly a business can detect, respond and recover from an incident while keeping its customers informed”.
Charlotte Wilson, head of enterprise at Check Point, added that retail attacks “look more like buses at first … you’re waiting for one, and suddenly three come at once,” pointing out that the wider industry has serious questions to answer about system load.
In response to the mounting security breaches, consumer organizations have urged shoppers to exercise extreme caution. Lisa Barber, which one? Tech Editor, said:
“Shoppers will be deeply concerned to learn of these latest security breaches, especially so soon after the ASOS hack. Affected brands, including Phase Eight, Whistles and Hobbs, must ensure they keep customers updated and support them and take all necessary steps to protect themselves if it emerges their details have been compromised.”
“In this climate of more frequent and high-profile hacks, consumers should remain vigilant about security and ensure they use strong, unique passwords for each of their accounts and enable two-factor authentication where possible.
“Be aware of any unexpected phone calls, messages or emails you receive, as scammers are likely to exploit this latest attack and attempt to impersonate merchants, or even your bank. If you are ever unsure who you are talking to, end the call immediately and contact the company immediately.
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