Clorox products may be in short supply following cyberattack, company warns
If Clorox products seem harder to come by these days, blame hackers.
The Oakland-based bleach and household cleaners manufacturer said in a statement posted on its website Monday that it is "continuing to operate at a lower rate of processing" because of a recent cyberattack that damaged portions of the company's computer network. The August breach disrupted operations as the company "took certain systems offline" as a security measure.
"We expect the ramp-up to full production to occur over time but do not yet have an estimate for how long it will take to resume fully normalized operations," Clorox said. In the meantime, the company will continue to process orders manually as it reintegrates its systems that were taken offline during the attack, according to the statement.
The transition back to automated order processing will take place beginning the week of September 25, the company said, adding that production had already resumed at a "vast majority" of its manufacturing sites.
Clorox also owns brands Burt's Bees, Pine SOL and Fresh Step, but it's unclear whether its output of those products has also been affected by the attack.
Earlier this year, the city of Oakland was hit by a ransomware attack resulting in network outages and the release of a trove of personal data of employees and residents onto the so-called dark web, prompting the city administrator to declare a state of emergency to fast-track the restoration process.
In July, the city of Hayward was hit by a cyberattack that threatened to cripple the city's computer systems. The city shut down its website as a precaution to limit its exposure and vulnerability.
Hackers target major companies
Clorox isn't the only company to fall victim to a cyberattack recently. Last week, a group of hackers exploited MGM Resorts' systems, stealing Social Security numbers and driver's license numbers from a "significant number" of loyalty program customers of Caesars Entertainment, the hospitality and casino giant said. The ransom attack also targeted the resort's operations, with hotel guests reporting they couldn't access their rooms with their digital keys or make room charges. As a result, the hotel owner has lost between roughly $4 and $8 million per day, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.
This latest hack may also have an impact on Clorox's first-quarter financial results, the company said in an SEC filing. The company's stock dipped roughly 2% by the time the market closed on Monday.