Royal Mail resumes full export service after cyber attack

Rebecka Schildgen

February 22, 2023

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Royal Mail resumes the last of its international services as it recovers from a ransomware attack, while the Post Office offers postmasters compensation for their lost business

Alex Scroxton,
Security Editor

Published: 21 Feb 2023 16:45

Ransomware-stricken Royal Mail has reinstated the last remaining international services through Post Office branches following the January 2022 LockBit attack, which left its export services paralysed for weeks.

In a notice published today, the postal service said all international export services to all destinations are now available for purchase online, via shipping partners, or over the counter, although it is warning that delivery may still take slightly longer than before, and the tracking information available to customers may be different.

It is also asking people sending items that require a customs declaration to buy online, through shipping solutions partners, or over the counter, rather than using postage stamps or meters.

Royal Mail had already stood up a number of its services using technical workarounds that mitigated the impact of the ransomware, but recovering over-the-counter services at Post Office branches took longer. The two organisations have operated as separate companies since April 2012 under the terms of the Postal Services Act of 2011.

Meanwhile, the Post Office has announced it is to provide additional remuneration to postmasters for handling international letters and parcels through its 11,500 branches.

“Postmasters have been the innocent victims of this faceless crime, unable to support businesses and consumers wishing to use their expertise to get parcels sent abroad,” said Post Office parcels and mails managing director, Neill O’Sullivan.

“For many small businesses, Post Offices are an integral part of their business setup and this has been a challenging time for them too. We have worked day and night in partnership with Royal Mail to reinstate all international services via our branch network.

“Post Office is providing additional remuneration to Postmasters for handling international items at branches in the form of a new fixed payment for each transaction. In addition, for all Royal Mail international labels sold in branch during February and March, Post Office will pay additional commission on the value of each item.”

O’Sullivan acknowledged that the past month-and-a-half period has been difficult for postmasters who have missed out on payment for providing international services, which is a tough situation to be in during the current economic climate. The Post Office hopes the temporary package of remuneration improvements will go some way to helping them recover lost earnings.

The high-profile ransomware attack, which began on 10 January 2022 and was made public a day later, has had a substantial impact, particularly on small business owners and independent creators who rely on Royal Mail to ship goods overseas.

The LockBit cartel behind the attack at first tried to deny responsibility, at first saying that the attack had been carried out by an unsanctioned operator using a leaked copy of its source code. It later pivoted and claimed that an affiliate had attacked Royal Mail without its knowledge.

Subsequently, the gang did take responsibility, and last week leaked a copy of the chat transcript between its operatives and a negotiator working on Royal Mail’s behalf. The transcript revealed that the postal service supposedly refused to pay a £66m ransom demand, saying it was an “absurd amount of money”. Royal Mail has steadfastly declined to comment on the accuracy of the transcript.