Fans distraught over 'shortage' of one of UK's most beloved sweets after Marks & Spencer cyber attack
Fans have been left distraught after finding out their beloved sweet is the latest victim in the cyber attack which has targeted Marks & Spencer.
Shoppers were shocked to see the favourite Percy Pig gummy sweets were nowhere to be found on supermarket shelves after the brand was crippled by attacks to their online systems.
The cyber attacks, which has been linked to notorious teenage hacking gang Scattered Spider, has left the high street giant reeling.
The supermarket has been forced to halt online sales for at least five days - with its share prices plummeting by more than £500m.
The ransomware hack against M&S is understood to have locked down many of the retailer's systems including its supply of Percy Pigs.
According to The Sun, signs next to the empty shelves, which displayed just a few veggie and low-sugar varieties of the sweets, read: 'Please bear with us while we fix some technical issues affecting product availability.'
Loyal M&S customers buy 16 million bags of the sweet treats a year and took to social media to share their anger at not being able to get their hands on any.
One posted online: 'Lads, s**t just got real.'
Another said: 'This isn't just a cyber attack — it's an M&S cyber attack.'
MailOnline has contacted M&S for comment.
M&S has faced a week of mayhem following the cyber attack over the Easter weekend.
Trade website Bleeping Computer said 'multiple sources' pointed to Scattered Spider having gained access to M&S's servers as far back as February before putting their plan into action over the bank holiday.
As a result M&S paused its click-and-collect service, where customers order items online for collection from a shop. These orders are still being face disruption.
Julius Cerniauskas, chief executive of web intelligence experts Oxylabs, feared other firms could soon be targeted by hackers seeking to cause similar cyberspace chaos.
'Following the M&S cyber attack and the potential involvement of hacking group, Scattered Spider, all major UK retailers will be seriously worried if they'll be tangled in the web next,' he warned.
'The impact on the M&S share price shows the damage these attacks can do and will have many corporate retailers working day and night to ensure they do not suffer a similar fate.
'Ransomware gangs typically target companies like Marks & Spencer with the aim of causing maximum disruption to force a quick payout. By freezing critical systems, criminals create chaos for both customers and the business - affecting online orders, payments, and store operations.
M&S supplies across the board have been affected by the cyber attack which has been linked to a teenage hacking gang
Signs next to the empty shelves read: 'Please bear with us while we fix some technical issues affecting product availability.'
'Their goal is simple: the greater the disruption, the greater the pressure on the company to pay the ransom.
'While it appears M&S has regained some control, preventing the situation from escalating further will depend on thorough system cleansing, patching vulnerabilities, and ensuring no backdoors have been left behind by the attackers.'
Experts say criminal outfits like the Scattered Spiders pose a 'sophisticated threat' to the public and to businesses worldwide.
Such cyber hackers typically demand up to £10million in ransom for returning full access to firms, say industry sources.
No arrests have been made over the M&S hack, a Met spokesman confirmed, adding: 'Detectives from the Met's cyber crime unit are investigating. Inquiries continue.'
Detectives have been working alongside the National Cyber Security Centre and data watchdog the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).
Marks & Spencer would not share details last night nor speculate on the culprit or confirm whether it has paid a ransom. In hacks such as this, criminals typically infiltrate an IT system, freeze it and demand payment from companies.
It's believed ransomware called DragonForce may have been used in the attack on M&S, which has cost the retailer millions in lost sales and lower share prices.
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