United Natural Foods, a prominent food distributor, recently experienced a cyber-attack that forced it to take some of its systems offline.

The incident, discovered on Thursday, 5 June, has temporarily hindered the company's ability to process and distribute customer orders, impacting its vast network of over 30,000 locations, including supermarkets and independent retailers.

Instead of fulfilling orders as usual, the company is now contending with disruptions to its business operations.

While the US company has initiated its incident response plan and implemented containment measures, the precise nature of the attack remains undisclosed. It is currently unclear whether any data was stolen from the network, and no ransomware groups have claimed responsibility for the breach.

A company spokesperson assured that restoring systems and prioritising customers, suppliers, and associates are paramount instead of focusing solely on the financial repercussions.

Cybersecurity experts view the incident as another indication that the retail sector remains a prime target for malicious actors. Rather than a mere warning, such events necessitate a fundamental change in how retailers approach their digital defences.

A recent survey revealed a significant increase in cyber threat activity experienced by retail IT decision-makers, highlighting the urgent need for enhanced security measures instead of relying on outdated practices.