Ransomware attack disrupts hundreds of bookstores across France, Belgium, and the Netherlands

Hundreds of bookstores across France, Belgium, and the Netherlands have had their operations disrupted this week after a ransomware attack crippled the IT systems of TiteLive, a French company that operates a SaaS platform for book sales and inventory management.

The incident, which took place earlier this week, has impacted bookstore chains such as Libris, Aquarius, Malperthuis, Donner, Atheneum Boekhandels, and others, according to reports from news outlets in France, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

Following the initial attack on TiteLive, the company shut down its IT infrastructure in order to prevent the ransomware from spreading.

This resulted in a days-long downtime of MediaLog, the company's primary product, used by more than 1,000 bookstores, according to TiteLive's website.

The company told local news outlets on Wednesday that the entry point for the attack was a Windows-based server, that the attackers requested a huge ransom, but they don't plan to pay.

Bookstores affected by the TiteLive incident have not shut down but have chosen to track sales and inventory movements using other methods, such as Excel spreadsheets and pen and paper, according to reports.

Most of the affected bookstores appear to be based in Belgium and the Netherlands.

No ransomware gang has taken credit for the attack so far, with no posts or messages being spotted on the gang's blogs and leak sites.