In a significant cyber breach, Marks & Spencer revealed customer data may have been compromised, sparking a major response and raising alarms within the retail industry.
Marks & Spencer Reports Cyberattack Compromising Customer Data
Marks & Spencer Reports Cyberattack Compromising Customer Data
UK retailer M&S announces data theft incident, halting online orders for weeks amidst rising cyber threats.
Marks & Spencer (M&S), one of Britain’s leading retail chains, confirmed on Tuesday that customer data was compromised in a cyberattack last month, leading to an interruption of online shopping for several weeks. The retailer issued an email to its customers stating that while certain personal information, including contact details and birth dates, was potentially accessed during the breach, there was no indication that this information had been disseminated. The company assured that no payment card data or account passwords were affected.
The incident, reported to appropriate governmental and law enforcement bodies, follows a series of cyberattacks targeting UK retailers. For example, Harrods encountered short-lived internet disruptions in late April as a precautionary measure against potential cyber threats, and Co-op reported a cyberattack that had a limited impact on its back office and call center operations last month.
The increase in ransom attacks, which often seek to disrupt services in addition to stealing data, has drawn attention to the vulnerabilities that many organizations face. The medical sector has also felt the impact, with hospitals in Britain experiencing severe disruptions resulting in the cancellation of over 800 planned operations last year due to similar attacks.
The perpetrators of these recent attacks remain unidentified, and it is unclear whether they are connected. The National Cyber Security Center of Britain has committed to assisting the impacted companies and issued a cautionary statement endorsing the need for organizations to bolster their cybersecurity measures. Richard Horne, the organization’s chief executive, emphasized that these incidents should serve as a critical alert for all companies to enhance their defenses against cyber threats.
The incident, reported to appropriate governmental and law enforcement bodies, follows a series of cyberattacks targeting UK retailers. For example, Harrods encountered short-lived internet disruptions in late April as a precautionary measure against potential cyber threats, and Co-op reported a cyberattack that had a limited impact on its back office and call center operations last month.
The increase in ransom attacks, which often seek to disrupt services in addition to stealing data, has drawn attention to the vulnerabilities that many organizations face. The medical sector has also felt the impact, with hospitals in Britain experiencing severe disruptions resulting in the cancellation of over 800 planned operations last year due to similar attacks.
The perpetrators of these recent attacks remain unidentified, and it is unclear whether they are connected. The National Cyber Security Center of Britain has committed to assisting the impacted companies and issued a cautionary statement endorsing the need for organizations to bolster their cybersecurity measures. Richard Horne, the organization’s chief executive, emphasized that these incidents should serve as a critical alert for all companies to enhance their defenses against cyber threats.
