Cyberattack forces Farmers and Whitcoulls to cash-only operations

James Pascoe Group, which owns several retail brands including Farmers and Whitcoulls, has notified the Privacy Commissioner about a data breach. This incident began after a cyberattack affected their systems. Over the weekend, the attack caused problems in some stores. Farmers locations had to switch to cash-only operations. Additionally, at least one Whitcoulls store closed due to the issues. A staff member from Whitcoulls reported that their entire system, including the intranet and phone lines, was down. The Privacy Act 2020 requires organizations to inform the Privacy Commissioner when there is a serious data breach. However, the Commissioner can provide limited information while the situation is assessed. They advised that details about the breach should come from James Pascoe Group.