7-Eleven Denmark was hit by a ransomware attack on all 176 stores in early August.

The attackers locked down cash registers and payment terminals, forcing the firm to initially shut down all locations across the country.

As an emergency measure the chain turned to Nordic payment processor Nets and Softpay to equip checkout staff with Samsung Android phones and an app capable of accepting payments with just a tap on the phone.

Craig Jacoby of SoftPay, says: “The benefits of having a hardware independent payment solution - as the primary solution or as a backup during emergencies - are clear in this case. I am very proud of the Softpay Teams dedication and team effort that have allowed us to successfully support 7-Eleven in this challenging situation.”

7-Eleven is not the first retailer to have found itself with closed stores following a ransomware attack.

Late last year, the UK supermarket chain Spar had its checkouts disabled at over 300 branches, while Swedish branches of the Co-Op were forced to shut after being hit.