Pharmacy chain Boots targeted in major cyber attack

Boots Pharmacy has been named as one of the firms hit by a major cyber attack.

It has been claimed that the cyber attack involved a Russian-speaking criminal gang and targeted payroll provider, Zellis.

Part of the Walgreens Boots Alliance, the pharmacy chain dispenses medicines and provides essential healthcare services right across the UK. It said the attack had included some of its employees’ personal details.

In a statement, Boots said their provider had “assured us that immediate steps were taken to disable the server”.

Other major firms targeted included British Airways and the BBC. The potential breach affected names, dates of birth and National Insurance numbers.