FedEx Corp. said the worldwide operations and communications systems of its TNT Express unit in Europe have been “significantly” affected by a cyberattack, causing delays in deliveries.
Financial consequences of the disruption can’t be measured at this time, but may be material, the shipping company said in a statement Wednesday. No data breach is known to have occurred at TNT, and no other FedEx companies have been affected. FedEx’s website carried the notation “not secure” and cautioned against entering sensitive information.
The courier commented as the cyberattack entered its second day, hitting businesses, port operators and government systems around the world, with companies struggling to retake control of their networks. FedEx first acknowledged that TNT had been affected Tuesday.
I don’t think it would be a material impact, assuming this thing is remedied in a relatively expeditious manner, said Jack Atkins, a Stephens Inc. analyst. It certainly could be a public relations issue, especially as FedEx is looking to cross-sell its suite of services with TNT.
Contingency plans and corrective steps “are being implemented as quickly as possible,” Memphis, Tennessee-based FedEx said in the statement. The company didn’t respond to a question about the website’s status.