Stop & Shop website, app outage enters fourth day; expert suspects hacking
Cybersecurity expert Adam Callan, CEO and founder of NYEDIS, believes the prolonged outage suggests the grocery chain may have been targeted by hackers.
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A security issue is what Stop & Shop says is behind an outage that has left its website and mobile app unavailable since Monday, with service disruptions stretching into a fourth day.
Cybersecurity expert Adam Callan, CEO and founder of NYEDIS, believes the prolonged outage suggests the grocery chain may have been targeted by hackers.
"The fact that they're still down since Monday, that's a bigger problem than what they're letting on," Callan said.
According to Callan, the company's description of the incident points to an outside attack rather than an internal technical problem.
"They're saying a cybersecurity incident happened, which means they didn't do this unintentionally. A developer didn't push out something bad. Someone actually attacked them," he said.
In a statement to News 12, Stop & Shop said it proactively took some systems offline to help protect its network while it works to restore service.
The company said there is currently no evidence that customer data has been compromised.
While the website and app remain unavailable, Stop & Shop stores, pharmacies and fuel stations continue operating normally. Customers can also place orders through third-party delivery services including Instacart, DoorDash and Uber Eats. The company is offering $15 off orders of $75 or more placed through those platforms.
Still, some shoppers say the workaround creates additional costs and inconvenience.
"On top of your groceries, then you got to pay for the delivery, which not everyone's going to be able to afford it, especially the elderly," said Syosset resident Dan Del Rosario.
Despite customer frustrations, Callan said taking systems offline is often necessary when responding to a potential cyberattack.
He also warned that advancements in artificial intelligence could make similar incidents increasingly common.
"Even large companies like Stop & Shop will not be able to stop these types of attacks just coming from random people. They have a war room going right now. Everyone that knows anything, sitting in a room trying to figure out what's going on 24/7. No one is sleeping right now. I guarantee that," Callan said.
Stop & Shop Statement to News 12:
"Stop & Shop is experiencing a security issue with our network, and we have proactively taken some systems offline to help protect them. As a result, our website and app are temporarily unavailable, but we are working as quickly as possible to restore them. There is no evidence that customer data was impacted as part of this issue. In the meantime, all Stop & Shop stores, pharmacies and fuel stations are open and serving customers.
Local customers can also shop with us on Instacart, DoorDash and Uber Eats for home delivery. We're currently offering $15 off all orders of $75 or more with those trusted delivery partners. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause for our customers and appreciate their patience as we work to resolve the issue."
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