Circle K Hong Kong disrupted by potential cyberattack

Global convenience store and gas station chain Circle K had its operations in Hong Kong crippled for days following a "network disruption" suspected to be caused by a cyber intrusion, reports The Record, a news site by cybersecurity firm Recorded Future.

Despite impacting e-payment systems, loyalty programs, and email services in almost 400 outlets across Hong Kong, Circle K emphasized that its stores have remained open.

"As we cannot rule out a possible cyberattack, we have acted quickly to secure customer, employee and supplier data, and are working with law enforcement and third-party forensics experts to determine the cause, scope and extent of this breach," said Circle K in a statement on Facebook.

Such a development comes months after Gas Express, the leading franchisee of Circle K in the U.S., disclosed having personal data stolen following a cyberattack.

Before Circle K Atlanta was reported to have been compromised by the Hunters International ransomware gang in June 2024, the firm was also noted to have inadvertently exposed a dataset containing customer loyalty numbers, payment card details, and employee contact information.