Mary Brown’s Chicken, a popular Canadian fast-food chain known for its fried chicken, is investigating a cybersecurity breach after customers at various locations across the country reported pro-Palestine messages appearing on digital menu boards.
The incident occurred over the weekend, with social media users posting videos and photos of menus displaying a message that read, “Free Palestine” and similar slogans. The content appeared without warning and was reportedly visible for several minutes before being taken down.
Mary Brown’s has issued a brief statement acknowledging the breach and stating that their IT and security teams are working to assess the scope of the incident. “We take this situation very seriously,” the company said. “We are actively investigating the source of the unauthorized access and taking steps to ensure this does not happen again.”
While the message did not contain explicit threats, cybersecurity experts warn that such breaches reflect growing vulnerabilities in retail systems and the increasing use of hacktivism to promote political causes. Similar intrusions have targeted other public platforms and businesses since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023.
Authorities are expected to examine whether the breach could be linked to coordinated pro-Palestine cyber campaigns that have surfaced globally in recent months.
Mary Brown’s has not yet confirmed how many locations were affected but said all impacted systems were being reviewed and restored. The company emphasized that no customer payment data was compromised during the breach.