Retail giant E-Land closes nearly half of stores due to ransomware attack

At NewCore Outlet's Gangnam Branch in Seoul's Seocho District, a notice from Nov. 22 indicates the department store's second and third floors have been shut down earlier than usual business hours due to an electronic system error. Yonhap

Nearly half of E-Land Group's 50 branches of NewCore Outlet, above, and NC Department Store nationwide were forced to shut down on Sunday due to a ransomware attack. Yonhap

South Korean fashion and retail conglomerate E-Land Group said Sunday it has suspended operations at nearly half of its stores in the country due to a ransomware attack.

The group said its corporate network system was attacked by ransomware early in the morning. Such a malware attack has forced 23 of its 50 branches of NC Department Store and NewCore Outlet to halt their operations, E-Land added.

Ransomware is software that intentionally blocks users from accessing their digital files unless a payment is made for a decryption key.

The group said it has currently shut part of its corporate network system to minimize the damage and has asked the police to investigate the cyberattack. (Yonhap)

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