Yum! Disclosed Data Breach Affecting Customers

KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell Parent Company Discloses the Details of a Recent Data Breach

By Steven
Published: Apr 12, 2023
Last Updated: Apr 12, 2023

Yum! Suffered Data Breach

Yum!, a massive worldwide food brand, operates over 55,000 restaurants in a total of 155 countries. The brand has more than 36,000 employees and owns restaurants like KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut, among others. The brand was recently hit by a data breach that may have exposed some of its employees as well as some customers. This is a real issue that should have people a bit concerned.

How Did the Attack Occur?

The organization hasn't released specific data explaining how the data breach occurred in the first place. We only know that attackers were able to break into the file network at the company and access personal and company information in the attack on January 13, 2023. A variety of data was taken in the attack, and some restaurants had to shut down temporarily to deal with the complications caused by this breach.

What Information Was Viewed or Stolen?

According to the notices sent out by Yum!, customers had their ID card numbers, driver's license numbers, full names, and other personal information stolen in the data breach. The data taken in the breach present a very real security risk to anyone exposed by it, and it should be a real concern for anyone that receives a notice from the company. Yum! doesn't believe the attackers behind the breach are attempting to use personal data in a harmful way, but there is no way to prove that's the case.

How Did Yum! Admit to the Breach?

Yum! admitted that hundreds of its restaurants were closed for a single day in its U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The company also sent out custom notices to anyone it believes had information involved in the breach. Although the attack disrupted restaurant operations in some locations, the company doesn't believe the breach will lead to serious costs or issues for the different locations overall. In a statement directed to BleepingComputer, a spokesperson said there is no evidence that company customers were impacted by this breach.

What Will Become of the Stolen Information?

There is no way to know for sure how the stolen Yum! information will be utilized. We suspect the attackers will leverage the information in an attempt to profit in any way they can. The information will be utilized to create fraudulent accounts, make unauthorized purchases, and may be sold to other people so they can do the same. Stolen data has real-world value, and hackers constantly try to trade it for money in different ways.

What Should Affected Parties Do in the Aftermath of the Breach?

If you receive a notice from one of the companies involved in this data breach, you should take steps to protect yourself from cyber attacks. You can invest in a credit monitoring service to get updates about your credit when changes are made. You should look closely at your financial accounts and be careful to avoid phishing attacks that may be conducted using your information. If you take these careful steps, you can avoid many of the issues that could be caused by this data breach.

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