Alliance Distribution Services (ADS), the primary distribution subsidiary of Hachette Australia, suffered a major cyber attack involving unauthorised activity on its computer systems, believed to have commenced around 18 July 2026. The incident crippled automated order processing, warehouse fulfilment, and logistics tracking, causing widespread book supply chain disruptions to independent bookstores and authors across Australia and New Zealand. ADS was forced to transition to manual shipping operations to prioritize new releases, leaving backlist orders unfulfilled ahead of key retail sales periods. Hachette confirmed ongoing recovery efforts with external cybersecurity specialists, though full system restoration timelines remain undetermined.