In January 2023, Yum Brands faced a cybersecurity incident that affected their operations and led to a temporary disruption. This incident impacted several locations and involved some exposure of personal information. The company responded by taking measures to secure their systems, notify authorities, and collaborate with experts to address the issue.

How many accounts were compromised?

While the exact number of compromised accounts or users is not disclosed, the ransomware attack on Yum Brands impacted some U.S. employees and led to the temporary closure of about 300 restaurants in the UK market.

What data was leaked?

The data exposed in the breach included personal information of employees, such as names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, and ID card numbers like driver's license numbers.

How was Yum hacked?

The hackers behind the Yum Brands ransomware attack gained unauthorized access to the company's network, leading to the exposure of employees' personal data. The specific methods employed by the attackers remain unclear, but ransomware was used to infiltrate the system.

Yum's solution

In response to the hacking incident, Yum Brands took several measures to secure its platform and prevent future incidents. This included locking down impacted systems, notifying federal law enforcement authorities, and working with digital forensics and restoration teams to investigate the attack. The company also deployed enhanced 24/7 detection and monitoring technology and offered complimentary monitoring and protection services to the affected employees. While customer information was not impacted, Yum Brands sent all legally required notifications to the affected individuals.

How do I know if I was affected?

Yum Brands sent all legally required notifications to the affected individuals. If you're an employee of Yum Brands and haven't received a notification, you may visit Have I Been Pwned to check your credentials.

What should affected users do?

In general, affected users should:

• Change Your Passwords: Immediately update your passwords for all accounts, especially if you suspect they may have been compromised. Make sure the new passwords are strong and unique, not previously used on any other platform.

• Reset Passwords for Other Accounts: If you've used the same or similar passwords for other online accounts, reset those as well. This is crucial as attackers often try using stolen passwords on multiple sites.

• Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Activate 2FA on your accounts whenever possible. Consider enabling this additional security feature on all other important online accounts to significantly reduce the risk of unauthorized access.

• Monitor Your Accounts: Keep an eye on your accounts for any suspicious activity. If you notice anything unusual, report it to the appropriate authorities and take necessary steps to secure your information.

For more specific help and instructions related to Yum's data breach, please contact Yum's support directly.

Where can I go to learn more?

For more information on the Yum data breach, check out the following news articles:

• Yum Brands faces class action suits from employees after ransomware attack

• Yum Brands confirms ransomware attack impacted some U.S. employees

• KFC owner suffers ransomware-related data breach