A cyberattack has severely impacted the operations of Verny, a popular Russian discount retail chain with over 1,000 stores nationwide, disrupting services for several days. The attack, which occurred over the weekend, resulted in the takedown of Verny’s website and mobile app, rendering supermarkets unable to process bank cards or fulfill online orders. As a result, stores were forced to accept cash only, leading to frustration among customers and significant losses for the company.
Verny’s general director, Oleg Vysotsky, suspects the attackers’ goal was extortion, although no ransom demand has been mentioned. The scale of the attack and the identity of the perpetrators remain largely unknown, raising concerns about cybersecurity vulnerabilities in the retail sector. With losses estimated to be at least 300 million rubles ($3 million), Verny faces substantial financial repercussions if operations do not resume promptly.
The cyberattack on Verny follows a similar incident targeting CDEK, one of Russia’s largest delivery companies, just one week prior. Perpetrated by a little-known Russian-speaking group called Head Mare, the attack disrupted CDEK’s website and mobile app, leading to the suspension of parcel shipments. While the group has not claimed responsibility for the Verny hack, speculation arises that the attacks on both companies may be linked, indicating potential coordinated cyber threats against Russian businesses.
