Starbucks stores in the US have been compelled to revert to manual employee scheduling and payroll processing due to a ransomware attack on a third-party software system.  

According to the Wall Street Journal, Starbucks is relying on pen-and-paper to calculate employees' pay.  

Blue Yonder, an Arizona-based cloud services provider, was struck by a ransomware attack in late November 2024, causing considerable disruption to its managed services.  

The incident has had a knock-on effect on several of its clients, with reports emerging of operational difficulties at numerous Starbucks stores and major UK supermarkets such as Morrisons and Sainsbury's. 

Jaci Anderson, a spokeswoman for Starbucks, stated in an email that despite these challenges, "the company would make sure all employees were paid for all hours worked" and that customer service remained unaffected. 

11,000 North American stores have been impacted.

Blue Yonder has hired US cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike to recover from the hack.

A spokesperson from Morrisons told CNN that backup processes were being utilised to ensure the timely delivery of goods to stores.  

Blue Yonder serves multiple US supermarkets, but the extent of the impact on these businesses is not yet known.  

Research by cybersecurity firm Semperis finds that 86% of surveyed firms that suffered a ransomware attack were targeted during weekends or holidays when reduced staffing levels are common.  

The Semperis 2024 Ransomware Holiday Report reveals that more than 80% of organisations surveyed cut their security operations staffing by up to 50% during these periods.