Cyberattack exposes Pizza Hut Australia customer data

Pizza Hut’s Australian operations have fallen victim to a cyberattack, which compromised sensitive customer data, including delivery addresses and order details. The breach came to light in early September when the company detected unauthorized access by a third party to some of its data.

In a recent email addressed to its customers, Phil Reed, CEO of Pizza Hut Australia, said that the company took immediate action by enhancing its system security, enlisting the help of forensic and cybersecurity specialists, and initiating an ongoing investigation to understand the extent of the incident and identify the affected data.

According to Reed, the compromised data includes customer details and online order specifics sourced from Pizza Hut’s customer database. This information encompasses names, delivery addresses, special instructions, email addresses, and contact numbers. The breach also encompasses encrypted credit card numbers and encrypted passwords for registered accounts.

Despite the security breach, Pizza Hut’s operations have remained unaffected, and the incident has been promptly reported to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, as required by data protection regulations.

A spokesperson for Pizza Hut Australia has confirmed that approximately 193,000 customers are believed to have been impacted by this breach. The affected customers have been promptly notified, receiving guidance on safeguarding their information and avoiding potential scams.

Notably, the company has not disclosed how much the stolen data dates back. However, a data breach website had previously reported obtaining a sample of customer data that aligns with the information Pizza Hut confirmed as stolen, including encrypted credit card information and hashed passwords.

It’s important to mention that Pizza Hut maintains a significant presence in Australia, with 260 stores nationwide. Earlier this year, the Australian private equity firm Allegro Funds completed the sale of Pizza Hut Australia to the US-based Flynn Restaurant Group, marking a pivotal moment for the company’s operations following a strategic restructure.