A cyber attack believed to have occurred on July 18 has severely disrupted the distribution of books by Hachette authors across Australia, leaving bookstores and authors struggling to meet customer demand ahead of the busy Christmas period.
Hachette Australia confirmed unauthorized activity on the computer systems of its distribution subsidiary, Alliance Distribution Services (ADS). The incident has limited the supply of books, particularly those already released, while new release titles have been prioritized.
Jaye Chin-Dusting, owner of Mary Martin Bookshop in Melbourne, reported that ADS has been supplying only 15 to 20 percent of the usual stock for the past six weeks, significantly slowing down her ability to replenish shelves. Chin-Dusting noted the difficulty in managing customer expectations due to the uncertain duration of the disruption.
In response, Hachette has advised booksellers to source stock through alternative channels, including the online retailer Booktopia and international suppliers.
Children's author Danielle Binks said the attack has affected the entire Australian publishing industry, putting her planned trip to Adelaide and school presentations in doubt due to the lack of guaranteed book supplies.
Professor Warren commented that with the rise of artificial intelligence, cyber attacks like this are likely to become more frequent.
The incident was brought to wider attention by Melbourne author Maxine Beneba Clarke, who shared her experience on social media.
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