Restaurants Affected by Ransomware Attack on Payment System Firm NCR

Atlanta-based NCR Corp., one of the largest makers of payment systems, self-checkout technology and ATMs, said it had been targeted this week by a ransomware attack, affecting some customer restaurants.

An NCR data center was disabled by the attack, which was confirmed on April 13. Businesses most affected were using NCR’s Aloha cloud-based services and Counterpoint systems, the company said.

“While in-restaurant purchases and transactions continue to operate, affected customers have reduced capabilities on specific Aloha cloud-based and Counterpoint functionality that has impacted their ability to manage restaurant administrative functions,” the company said in a statement. “NCR is conducting concurrent efforts to establish alternative functionality for customers, fully restore impacted data and applications, and to enhance its cyber security protections.”

None of NCR’s ATM, digital banking or payments were processed at the data center hit by the attack, the company said. Federal authorities also are investigating, according to Dow Jones Newswire and other news reports.

NCR said it has some 35,000 employees around the world.