Royal Mail issues update to customers after cyber attack

CYBER ATTACK: A Royal Mail employee sorting letters (File photo by PA)

Royal Mail has said it has “started moving limited volumes of export parcels” following disruption due to a cyber attack.

The delivery company said it was experiencing “severe service disruption” following a recent “cyber incident”. The back office system which is used to prepare mail for being sent abroad, and to track and trace overseas items, was affected by the incident. In a statement, Royal Mail said it was temporarily unable to despatch export items, which included letters and parcels to overseas destinations.

In the aftermath of the cyber incident, the postage giant says it is “trialling operational workarounds” and has started moving “limited amounts” of export parcels, but has asked people not to submit any new export parcels for the time being. However, it has now restarted exporting letters.

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A statement on the Royal Mail site said: “Following the recent cyber incident, we are trialling operational workarounds and have started moving limited volumes of export parcels.

“While we trial these operational workarounds, we continue to ask customers not to submit any new export parcels into the network. Our initial focus will be to clear mail that has already been processed and is waiting to be dispatched.”

The statement also gave more details on the resumption of the exporting of letters. It said: “We are pleased to announce that we have resumed the export of letters which do not require a customs declaration to all international destinations.

“From 7pm Wednesday 18 January, customers will be able to start submitting international export letters which do not require a customs declaration into the Royal Mail network again through all channels including Royal Mail post boxes and Post Office branches.”

Royal Mail apologised for the disruption caused by the incident and said it is continuing to try t0 mitigate the impact of it: “Royal Mail continues to work with external experts, the security authorities and regulators to mitigate the impact of this cyber incident, with a focus on restoring all services for export letters and parcels. Our import operations continue to perform a full service with some minor delays. Domestic services remain unaffected.

“We apologise to impacted customers for any disruption this incident may be causing. Please be assured our teams are working around the clock to fully resolve this situation.”

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