ICO issue statement after cyber attacks on M&S and Co-op

Yahoo

02-05-2025

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) have released a statement following a series of cyber attacks on retailers like Marks and Spencer, Co-op and Harrods.
M&S first reported the issue over the Easter weekend but has seen its operations impacted for more than a week.
Initially, the company saw contactless payments and click and collect orders affected.
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Earlier this week, it said it would no longer be able to take orders through its website or app in order to deal with the problem.
Meanwhile, the Co-op Group was also affected by an attempted hack, prompting it to shut down parts of its IT infrastructure.
While its shops and funeral services continued to trade, staff were instructed to keep cameras on and verify identities during all remote meetings.
Harrods became the latest high-profile UK retailer to fall victim on Thursday.
The luxury London department store said it had restricted internet access across its sites as a precautionary measure following an attempt to gain unauthorised access to its systems.
In a statement, a Harrods spokesperson said: "We recently experienced attempts to gain unauthorised access to some of our systems.
"Our seasoned IT security team immediately took proactive steps to keep systems safe, and as a result, we have restricted internet access at our sites today.
"Currently, all sites including our Knightsbridge store, H beauty stores and airport stores remain open to welcome customers.
"Customers can also continue to shop via harrods.com.
"We are not asking our customers to do anything differently at this point, and we will continue to provide updates as necessary."
Now, the ICO have said it is also looking into the wave of attacks.
Stephen Bonner, deputy commissioner at the ICO, said: "We can confirm we have received reports from Marks and Spencer plc and the Co-op Group. We are making enquiries with these organisations and working closely with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC)."
He added: "We recognise that seeing cyber attacks in the news can be concerning, especially if you are a customer.
"If you are worried about your personal information, you can visit our website for advice and support.
"Make sure your accounts are protected by a strong password and that you are not using the same password across multiple accounts," Mr Bonner continued,
"We also advise checking regularly for updates from the organisation and following their advice if they confirm that your personal information has been impacted by a cyber attack."
The Metropolitan Police has launched an investigation into the attack on M&S.