Morrisons, the fourth largest supermarket chain in the UK, announced the arrest of an employee who has been accused of data theft as well as the publication of employee bank details and salary information from the company’s internal database.
The company said the data theft affected approximately 100,000 staff members from all levels of the organization, including the board, according to The Daily Mail. The supermarket chain also announced that it will launch an internal investigation, headed by Dalton Philips, the company’s Chief Executive.
Morrisons discovered the theft on Thursday, March 13, and emphasized that it was not a result of an external cyber-attack, according to The Telegraph. Since the attack, Morrisons has made efforts to enhance data security by hiring Experian to help boost data theft protection.
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The news came shortly after Morrisons announced a significant financial downturn — wiping £3 billion off of its overall value — and plans to invest £1 billion over the next three years to reduce prices and boost brand image.
