Wendy’s International Franchise Database Allegedly Leaked in Major Breach Claim

A threat actor claimed on February 22, 2026, to have breached the Wendy’s International Franchise Database. The leak allegedly exposes franchisee contacts, operational configs, and live payment credentials across multiple restaurant brands. Neither Wendy’s nor The Access Group (QikServe owner) has issued statements confirming or denying the incident.

The dumped dataset includes full franchise addresses with GPS coordinates. Daily operational settings show opening hours, pickup flags, and next-order slots. Active status markers and timezone data appear current through February 2026. Promotional records with fresh timestamps validate recency.

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Most alarming findings involve payment integrations. Worldpay Access configs list Apple Pay and Google Pay merchant IDs. Multiple Stripe pk_live publishable keys expose client-side validation. Sentry DSN credentials enable error monitoring and backend reconnaissance.

Sample records hit Wendy’s Oxford (UK), Brackley Pub, Sbarro Colne, City Mill Bakes (Gibraltar), and KFC Nitra (Slovakia). Multi-brand presence points to shared SaaS platform QikServe by The Access Group. Their hospitality system serves 8,000+ outlets processing £3B+ annually.

Threat intel rates authenticity 4/4 based on structural consistency and 2026 timestamps. Database schema matches known online ordering backends exactly.

Leaked Data Categories

Franchisee PII combines with operational secrets. Payment configs create active attack vectors. Feature flags reveal per-location capabilities.

Attackers pairing publishable keys with merchant IDs enables fraudulent flows. Sentry access injects fake telemetry or maps infrastructure.

GDPR obligations trigger for UK/EU locations. Franchisee emails and addresses qualify as personal data under Article 33.

Exposed Data Table

QikServe powers ordering for diverse chains. Shared infrastructure multiplies breach scope. Access Group acquired platform September 2024.

Immediate Actions Required

• Rotate all credentials: Stripe keys, Worldpay configs, Sentry DSNs immediately.
• Audit API logs: Check QikServe/Access Hospitality for unauthorized queries.
• GDPR assessment: UK/EU franchisees notify under Article 33 timelines.
• Payment monitoring: Watch for anomalous transactions across affected merchants.
• Vendor contact: Demand incident response from Access Group urgently.

Franchisees face business disruption risks. Live credentials enable real-time fraud. Exposed configs reveal operational patterns attackers weaponize.

Threat actor motives unclear. Data sold or extorted likely. No ransomware claim detected yet. Monitoring forums essential.

Hospitality SaaS demands rigorous credential hygiene. Shared platforms amplify single-breach impacts across chains. Enterprises must audit third-party access continuously.

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