The owner of Phase Eight, Hobbs, and Whistles has warned that its websites and IT systems have been hit by a cyber-attack that may have compromised customers’ personal data.
The South African-listed TFG London said that it had identified the cybersecurity incident at the three UK-based retail chains on Sunday. Its two other UK brands, Inside Story and White Stuff, are not affected.
TFG stated that its physical stores have stayed open and trading, but some of its IT systems remain unavailable, and it has paused all online orders as a precautionary measure.
An investigation is ongoing, including establishing whether any personal or other sensitive information has been compromised, according to the company.
If the investigation establishes that any personal information has been accessed by hackers, TFG said it would notify affected individuals or organisations.
Some of the brand website capabilities may not be available as the investigation continues. The company apologized for any disruption and stated it would provide additional updates to customers as appropriate.
TFG operations in Africa and Australia run on separate systems and are unaffected by the breach.
The firm has engaged external cybersecurity specialists to contain the incident, which has also been reported to the relevant UK authorities.
The attack on the three UK fashion brands comes less than a week after a cyber-attack affected online fashion seller Asos, in which the names, addresses, and recent search data of millions of customers were accessed.
H&M announced on Monday that it was also investigating claims that its systems had been attacked. However, the fast fashion retailer stated that it had not found any indications that its data environment had been compromised.
Several other British retailers, including Marks & Spencer, the Co-op, and Harrods, suffered damaging cyber incidents last year, leading to stock shortages and temporary website shutdowns in some cases.
Experts note that the retail sector remains a primary target for hackers due to the valuable customer information it holds and the reliance on sprawling networks of payment systems, suppliers, and third-party technology providers.