Pizza Hut Australia suffers data breach

It has been reported that Pizza Hut Australia has been hit by a cyberattack, the company has revealed, with customer data including delivery addresses and order details stolen in the hack.

Javvad Malik, Lead Security Awareness Advocate at KnowBe4, commented on the news: “Pizza Hut Australia’s swift response in engaging forensic and cybersecurity specialists is commendable, as it shows its commitment to investigating the breach and understanding the extent of the incident.

“However, the compromised customer data, including delivery addresses and order details, is concerning. Such information can be leveraged by malicious actors for targeted attacks, such as phishing or identity theft. Pizza Hut Australia must inform affected customers promptly, provide guidance on how to mitigate potential risks and offer appropriate support, such as credit monitoring services, if necessary.

“This incident should serve as a reminder to organisations of all sizes to have robust cybersecurity measures in place. Regular security assessments, employee training and incident response plans are vital to prevent and mitigate the impact of successful cyberattacks. Protecting customer data should always be a top priority and organisations must remain vigilant against evolving cyberthreats.”

Erfan Shadabi, Cybersecurity Expert at comforte AG, also commented: “If fast food doesn’t give you heartburn, a data breach will. Given the internationally recognised name, a cyberattack of any nature can still be highly damaging to Pizza Hut’s reputation and customer trust. Pizza Hut collects vast amounts of sensitive data from its customers, so any breach, no matter how small, can lead to devastating consequences, including financial losses, legal issues and damage to brand reputation.

“Additionally, data breaches can attract regulatory scrutiny and penalties, leading to additional costs and complications. For the customer, having such sensitive information available could lead to attacks from cybercriminals.

“Therefore, it is essential for companies to prioritise the protection of customer data to mitigate the risk of cyberattacks. A robust cybersecurity strategy that employs advanced technologies and practices such as tokenisation or format-preserving encryption should be implemented to safeguard customer data and ensure the security of a company’s reputation and customer trust.”