Toll customers furious after cyber attack shutdown
Toll is facing a fierce backlash from customers who say they have been left in the dark after hackers attacked the delivery giant, prompting some of its key systems to be shut down.
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Key IT systems at delivery giant Toll have been shut down after hackers attacked the company, prompting a fierce backlash from customers.
The Melbourne-based logistics heavyweight is reeling following “a cyber security incident” and said today that it had shut down “a number” of its IT systems.
Toll said it had taken the action as a “precautionary measure” following the attack on Friday.
Among the services affected is the MyToll website, which allows customers to book pick-ups and track deliveries.
“As a precautionary measure, in response to a cyber security incident on Friday, Toll deliberately shut down a number of systems across multiple sites and business units,” the company said in a statement yesterday.
“Toll IT teams are working closely with global cyber security experts to resolve the issue.
“Toll is making progress with our recovery activities to restore our systems and Toll customer-facing applications.”
A reader has contacted the Herald Sun to say Toll had come under attack from hackers who had demanded a ransom after taking control of internal computer systems.
Toll declined to answer specific questions from the Herald Sun on the nature of the incident or whether any ransom had been demanded.
The security incident has prompted many customers to take to social media to complain about interrupted deliveries and a lack of information.
“Can you at least provide some kind of status page or update?” a Twitter user posted in a message to the company.
“No tracking system, emails bouncing, phones not being answered … but zero information anywhere on what is happening. Where can we find updates please?”
Another Twitter user said he had been informed his package would not be picked up for delivery today and the job had been handed to another courier company.
Toll said it was focused on bringing its systems back online in a “controlled and secure manner”.
“Business continuity plans have been activated to maintain customer service and operations,” it said.
“Staying focused on customers remains at the forefront of Toll’s priorities as we restore our services and we sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused.”
Toll operates a global logistics network across 1200 locations in more than 50 countries.
It is owed by Japan Post, which bought the group in 2015 for a hefty $6.5 billion.
The takeover offer – which was priced at a 49 per cent premium to Toll’s share price – handed former Toll chief Paul Little a $340 million windfall.
It has turned into a dud investment for Japan Post, which wrote down the value of Toll by $4.9 billion in 2017.
Led by chief executive Michael Byrne, Toll posted a net loss of $113.8 million for the 12 months to last March, its most recent accounts lodged with the corporate regulator show.
Mr Byrne left the company at the end of December and was succeeded by Thomas Knudsen.
The federal government has estimated that cybercrime costs the economy upwards of $1 billion a year.
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According to the Australian Cybercrime Online Reporting Network, the average cost of cybercrime to a business in Australia stands at a hefty $276,000.
Victoria accounts of 25 per cent of the nation’s victims of cybercrime, the figures show.
Delivery, logistics and transport companies are coming under mounting attack from hackers.
A number of shipping companies in the Middle East came under attack last year, as did major food delivery player Deliveroo.
British marine engineering consultancy London Offshore Consultants was targeted by a group known as Maze, which demanded a ransom, late last month.