The cyber incident involving Royal Mail disrupted international mail on January 12, as a ransomware strike attributed to the Russian-speaking gang Lockbit affected the carrier’s servers. In the immediate wake of the attack, Royal Mail faced an urgent operational state and advised customers to pause overseas shipments while systems were assessed and restored. The disruption left hundreds of thousands of parcels and letters in limbo, creating significant backlogs for international consignments and prompting guidance from authorities on how to manage incoming and outgoing mail during the outage.
Investigations described by the press indicate that Lockbit deployed ransomware capable of encrypting files on infected machines and issued a ransom demand in cryptocurrency. The attack reportedly targeted the equipment used to print essential customs documents for international parcels, a move that amplified delays and raised concerns about compliance processes for cross-border shipments. In the ransomware note, hackers threatened to publish data exfiltrated during the intrusion, adding a data breach dimension to the incident.
Official responses noted that the National Cyber Security Center played a role in mitigating the broader effects of the cyberattack and helping restore secure operations. Royal Mail declined to comment extensively, stating that regional postal operations were not impacted at the time, a line that some observers say underscored the complexity of the incident and the need for transparent communication as services recovered.
Commentary from security analysts highlighted that high-profile ransomware campaigns often involve state-adjacent adversaries and emphasize the importance of defenses that monitor print and document handling workflows. Former high-ranking figures in national cyber programs have described how specialized teams with language and geopolitical awareness are sometimes deployed to address threats perceived as emanating from hostile states. This context helps explain how such intrusions can aim at critical infrastructure functions, including those tied to customs documentation and international logistics. Also noted is the ongoing challenge for organizations to recover quickly from encryption events while maintaining regulatory compliance for cross-border shipments. [Citation: National Cyber Security Center] [Citation: Royal Mail statements] [Citation: cybersecurity experts]