Kronos provides a variety of cloud-based services aimed at managing time-keeping, payroll, analytics, etc. Its services are used by a wide variety of organizations, like companies, manufacturers, universities, and government bodies. Some of its customers include Tesla, Temple University, and the San Francisco Municipal Transit Authority. Honolulu’s Emergency Medical Services and the Board of Water have already been affected by the incident.
Ransomware Attack on Kronos Private Cloud
The company said the ransomware attack targeted the Kronos Private Cloud, a secure storage and server facility hosted at third-party data centers. As a consequence, services such as UKG Workforce Central, UKG TeleStaff, Healthcare Extensions, and Banking Scheduling Solutions were affected. These services remain unavailable, and UKG said it could take “several weeks” to restore them. UKG is not aware if the incident has affected its other services, i.e., those not housed on the Kronos Private Cloud. This includes services such as UKG Pro, UKG Ready, UKG Dimensions, and other UKG solutions.
Statement by UKG Regarding the Incident
Bob Hughes, Executive VP of UKG, said the company is working with cybersecurity experts to assess and resolve the situation. He added that UKG has notified the relevant authorities. The attack has disrupted key services that UKG provides. In fact, Hughes has recommended that customers look for alternatives. “While we are working diligently, our Kronos Private Cloud solutions are currently unavailable. Given that it may take up to several weeks to restore system availability, we strongly recommend that you evaluate and implement alternative business continuity protocols related to the affected UKG solutions,” Hughes said. “Support is available via our UKG Kronos Community and via our UKG Customer Support Team to provide input on your business continuity plans,” he added.
Companies Likely to Manually Track Employee Timesheets and Pay in the Meantime
Amber Clayton, director of the Knowledge Center at the Society for Human Resource Management, said most companies usually opt for a manual process when systems go down. “Some employers may require them to do that or ask them to write down their own hours,” Clayton said. “If not, it’s always a good idea still to go ahead and do that for yourself, so that you know what you’ve worked and how many overtime hours, things of that nature, then that way you can compare it to what the employer has and make sure that you’re paid appropriately,” she added.
