UAE's Landmark Group probes data breach at its Shukran loyalty programme

Show caption: Landmark Group operates in all Gulf countries, Egypt, Jordan…

Details compromised include personal data but debit or credit card information and passwords were not affected

The National

November 11, 2026

• Landmark Group is investigating a cyber incident involving unauthorised access to its Shukran loyalty programme, potentially exposing customer names, contact details and dates of birth.
• Debit and credit card details were not compromised, as the Dubai-based conglomerate does not store such information on the affected system.
• The average cost of a data breach for Middle Eastern organisations reached $8 million this year, according to IBM's latest report.
• "We have also informed the relevant statutory and law enforcement authorities and are actively investigating the matter," Landmark Group said.

The UAE's Landmark Group said it is investigating a cyber incident involving "unauthorised access" to its Shukran loyalty programme.

Customer information involved includes names, contact details and dates of birth, the Dubai-based retail and hospitality conglomerate said on Wednesday.

However, debit and credit card details were not compromised, as those are not stored on its system, Landmark Group said. Shukran points, which are used to redeem perks on the platform, are also unaffected.

Landmark did not specify the severity of the breach, but any customer who received a text message from the company regarding the incident might be among those affected, it said.

"We recently identified an incident involving unauthorised access to one of our systems. We acted immediately to contain it," Landmark said.

"We have also informed the relevant statutory and law enforcement authorities and are actively investigating the matter."

Some of the most notable brands under the Landmark umbrella include fashion retailers Max, Splash and Centrepoint, electronics store Emax, Home Centre, Fitness First and Viva supermarket.

Cyber breaches continue to rise as bad actors attempt to reap financial gain or steal user data, prompting companies to shore up their network defences.

Attacks on systems can cause both financial and reputational damage. According to IBM's latest Cost of a Data Breach report, the average cost of a data breach for organisations in the Middle East hit $8 million this year.

Artificial intelligence has made cyber attacks more complex and agile. IBM said lost business remained the largest cost category in the region, averaging $3.57 million per breach.

The UAE, however, has put in place advanced cyber defence systems to fend off attacks to protect the economy and society.

On one Tuesday in September, the Emirates faced 640,000 attacks, UAE cyber security chief Dr Mohamed Al Kuwaiti said.

Landmark Group, meanwhile, is one of the biggest retail corporates in the UAE, with more than 20 brands. It operates in all Gulf countries, plus Egypt, Jordan, India, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Updated:

November 11, 2026, 12:15 PM