Damart

Damart is a French clothing retailer that designs, manufactures, and sells apparel through a network of physical stores and online channels. The company serves customers primarily in France, though its brand recognition extends to other European markets where it operates retail outlets. Its product range includes everyday wear, seasonal collections, and specialty items aimed at a broad consumer base. The retailer maintains a substantial footprint, as evidenced by references to numerous stores affected during a cyber incident. Damart’s business model combines traditional brick‑and‑mortar sales with an e‑commerce platform to reach shoppers both in‑store and remotely.

In August 2022, Damart experienced a disruptive ransomware attack carried out by the Hive group, which encrypted critical systems and demanded a $2 million ransom without offering negotiation. The attack forced the company to shut down affected systems to limit the spread of encryption, leading to website outages, halted deliveries, and reduced order processing across many of its stores. Customer support channels became unavailable during the incident, prompting Damart to involve law enforcement and refrain from engaging with the attackers. Although Hive employed double‑extortion tactics, no data theft was confirmed and the gang did not publish any purportedly stolen information. Following containment efforts, the retailer anticipated a gradual restoration of services as it worked to rebuild its IT environment. The episode highlighted Damart’s reliance on digital infrastructure for retail operations and its preparedness to respond to cyber threats through proactive isolation and external cooperation.