It’s now been more than a week of chaos for Marks and Spencer (M&S), one of the UK’s biggest brands, following what – it is now obvious – is a significant cyber attack. It’s cost the retailer millions of pounds in lost sales and a lower share price.
M&S still isn’t revealing exactly what or who knocked out its online ordering systems, paused deliveries, left empty shelves in stores, and resulted in limited access to internal platforms. The firm is working with the National Cyber Security Centre, which will not comment on active investigations, while the Information Commissioner’s Office is also making enquiries.
Key Points
- M&S has experienced significant disruption due to a cyber attack, affecting online orders and deliveries.
- The retailer is currently unable to fully disclose details of the incident, which has resulted in millions lost.
- Experts suggest the attack may be ransomware, creating complex recovery challenges.
- The suspected group behind the attack is known as Scattered Spider, involved in prior attacks including the MGM Las Vegas incident.
- M&S advises customers concerned about their personal data to change passwords, especially if they use the same credentials elsewhere.
Why should I read this?
If you’re an M&S shopper or just following the trends in cyber security, this article is a must-read! It highlights the chaos that can ensue from a cyber attack and raises serious questions about how companies handle these crises. With digital security being more important than ever, knowing what’s going on with a major retailer like M&S could help you safeguard your own information.