Starbucks is facing challenges tracking employee hours and managing pay after a ransomware attack targeted one of its third-party software providers, Blue Yonder. The cyberattack, which occurred on November 21, 2024, has disrupted key systems that allow Starbucks employees to view schedules and manage their time at work.
Impact on Operations and Employee Compensation
The attack specifically affected Blue Yonder’s supply-chain management software, which plays a vital role in ensuring Starbucks employees’ hours are properly recorded and compensated. While the ransomware breach has not affected the company’s ability to serve customers, it has caused significant issues in internal operations. Starbucks has assured the public that the company is actively working with Blue Yonder to resolve the situation as quickly as possible.
In the meantime, Starbucks managers have been provided with guidance to handle the outage manually, ensuring that employees continue to be paid accurately despite the system failure. The company emphasized its commitment to fully compensating workers for the time they’ve worked, minimizing the financial impact of the disruption.
Blue Yonder, a subsidiary of Panasonic, confirmed the attack and stated that it is taking steps to restore its systems. While the identity of the perpetrators remains unknown, the company has put in place defensive measures to prevent further damage. Despite the inconvenience, Starbucks is confident that operations will return to normal soon, as efforts continue to restore the affected systems.
The incident highlights the growing risk of ransomware attacks on businesses reliant on third-party vendors, underscoring the importance of robust cybersecurity measures for all parties involved.
