Food distributor for supermarkets hit by ransomware attack

A food distributor for major UK supermarkets has said it is being held to ransom by cyber attackers.

Somerset-based Peter Green Chilled, which supplies retailers including Tesco and Aldi, was last week hit by a ransomware attack.

It comes amid a raft of cyber attacks in recent weeks across the sector, with Marks & Spencer and the Co-op particularly affected by major hacks.

The company, which is relatively small compared with other food suppliers, said clients were “receiving regular updates” including “workarounds” for its deliveries, according to the BBC.

In an email, the distribution firm said the ransomware attack meant it was unable to process any fresh orders on Thursday last week.

Ransomware incidents involve hackers gaining access to a computer system and using malware to steal or block access to files – often encrypting them – before demanding a payment, usually in cryptocurrency, to return the impacted data.

Managing director Tom Binks told the BBC: “The transport activities of the business have continued unaffected throughout this incident.”

One supplier impacted, Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones, founder of The Black Farmer, revealed he had “something like 10 pallets worth of meat products” with the distributor.

“Thousands and thousands of packs of products, sitting there, and the clock is ticking,” he said.

Peter Green Chilled has been contacted for comment.

Tim Grieveson, chief security officer at ThingsRecon, said: “Cyber attacks on the supply chain are not just about digital data breaches.

“They are disrupting the physical flow of goods as we have seen in the case of M&S, Co-op and now for Peter Green Chilled.

“When hackers target logistics systems or warehouse operations, even a short delay can be catastrophic, especially for perishable goods such as fresh produce or pharmaceuticals.”