New World Shoppers Urged to Update Passwords After Cyberattack

Supermarket chain New World is advising its Clubcard loyalty program members to urgently change their passwords following a cybersecurity incident that may have compromised some user accounts.

Customer Accounts Possibly Accessed

In an email sent to customers on Friday night, New World disclosed that unauthorized parties had attempted to access accounts by using commonly used passwords. The company’s technology team detected suspicious external activity targeting a number of New World Clubcard accounts.

According to the email, “Based on our investigation, it appears that some New World Clubcard accounts with weaker or reused passwords may have been accessed, without the cardholder’s authorisation.”

Preventative Measures Recommended

While most customers were informed that their accounts were likely unaffected, New World is urging all members to update their passwords as a precaution. This recommendation comes as the Identity Theft Resource Center reports that 266 million individuals were affected by data breaches in 2023 alone, highlighting the increasing need for robust password security (ITRC).

Internal Systems Untouched

New World clarified that its own internal systems have not been compromised and that its technology team continues to monitor for any further malicious activity. The supermarket retailer, owned by Foodstuffs, is collaborating with cybersecurity experts to reinforce customer data security.

“We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience. Your privacy and security are extremely important to us, we have taken these actions to protect you, and strongly recommend you [establish] a refreshed and strong password,” the company stated in the email.

Foodstuffs has not yet responded to requests for further comment.