Yum! Brands Inc. announced this week that it was hit by a ransomware attack on Jan. 18. that impacted certain information technology systems. Promptly upon detection of the incident, the company said it initiated response protocols, including deploying containment measures such as taking certain systems offline and implementing enhanced monitoring technology. It also initiated an investigation, engaged the services of industry-leading cybersecurity and forensics professionals, and notified federal law enforcement.

“Less than 300 restaurants in the United Kingdom were closed for one day, but all stores are now operational,” the company said.

Further, the company said it is actively engaged in fully restoring affected systems, which is expected to be largely complete in the coming days.

Although data was taken from the company’s network and an investigation is ongoing, at this stage, there is no evidence that customer databases were stolen.

“While this incident caused temporary disruption, the company is aware of no other restaurant disruptions and does not expect this event to have a material adverse impact on its business, operations or financial results.”

Yum! Brands Inc., based in Louisville, Kentucky, and its subsidiaries franchise or operate a system of over 53,000 restaurants in 155 countries and territories under the company’s concepts – KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and The Habit Burger Grill. The Company’s KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut brands are global leaders of the chicken, Mexican-style food, and pizza categories, respectively. The Habit Burger Grill is a fast-casual restaurant concept specializing in made-to-order chargrilled burgers, sandwiches and more.