Latest news with #CoopGroup
Arab News
17-05-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Members of major UK supermarket chain vote to boycott Israeli goods
LONDON: Members of one of the UK's biggest supermarket chains have voted to end all trading with Israel at its annual general meeting. The motion was put to members of the Co-op Group in light of Israel's ongoing war in Gaza, and its blockade of the Palestinian enclave preventing vital humanitarian aid reaching civilians. In the motion, members called on the Co-op's management to 'show moral courage and leadership' by taking 'all Israeli products off the shelves.' Paul Neill, an activist who helped put the motion to a vote, said: 'We are delighted to say that the motion was passed by a clear majority of Co-op members, reflecting widespread condemnation among the British public for the actions of Israel. 'This is a historic moment for a UK supermarket chain and puts down a marker for other supermarkets and retailers.' In a press release, the Palestine Solidarity Campaign — which has been running a 'Don't Buy Apartheid' campaign for shops and restaurants to avoid Israeli goods and those of companies linked to the country — cited Israel's 'genocide in Gaza and decades of oppression of Palestinian people by military occupation and apartheid' as key drivers of the vote to sever ties, and called on the Co-op to implement the motion and cease selling Israeli products in its stores. Lewis Backon, campaigns officer for the PSC, said: 'Meaningful solidarity actions could not be more urgent as Palestinians continue to face Israel's genocide in the Gaza Strip, and its military attacks, land grabs and ethnic cleansing in the West Bank. 'The Co-op AGM vote shows ordinary people in this country are committed to the cause of justice and freedom for Palestine in their everyday lives and refuse to support Israel's apartheid economy. 'The Co-op must now listen to its members, and implement the motion by taking all Israeli goods off the shelves.' The PSC said many Israeli goods 'such as avocados, peppers, herbs and dates' are common in UK supermarkets. 'Millions in Britain have taken to the streets to oppose Israel's genocide and the UK government's complicity in it through military, diplomatic and financial support,' it added. Israeli agricultural companies — including Hadiklaim, Mehadrin and Edom — 'operate farms and packing houses in illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank,' the PSC said. It added that the Co-op had previously pledged to stop stocking goods from illegal settlements, but that any business done with Israeli agricultural exporters 'supports their role as participants in Israel's colonisation and military occupation of Palestinian land. 'Moreover, campaigners point out that these companies benefit from Israel's systematic destruction of Palestinian agriculture through exploiting the Palestinian captive market, and contribute tax revenue to the Israeli state, which in turn helps it fund its genocide and apartheid against Palestinians.' According to an International Court of Justice decision last July, the 'appropriation of Palestinian resources like water is a war crime,' the PSC said. 'All states have an obligation not to render aid or assistance to Israel in these violations of international law.'
CNA
07-05-2025
- Business
- CNA
Britain to face more cyberattacks as AI adoption grows, minister says
LONDON :The growth of AI will increase the number and sophistication of cyberattacks on Britain, senior minister Pat McFadden said on Wednesday. British companies, public bodies and institutions have been hit by a wave of cyberattacks in the past few years, costing them tens of millions of pounds and often months of disruption. Over the last three weeks British retailers Marks & Spencer, the Co-op Group and Harrods have all been hit by attacks, with M&S still unable to take online clothing orders. The companies have not given any details on the nature of the attacks. "Today we are declassifying an intelligence assessment that shows AI is going to increase not only the frequency but the intensity of cyberattacks in the coming years," said McFadden, who as cabinet office minister is responsible for UK cyber security. "Our security systems will only remain secure if they keep pace with what our adversaries are doing," he said. Speaking at the National Cyber Security Centre's CyberUK 2025 conference, he said that last year the NCSC received almost 2,000 reports of cyberattacks, with almost 90 deemed "significant" and 12 at "the very top end of severity". This was three times the number of severe attacks compared to the year before. McFadden said the recent cyberattacks on British retailers should serve as a wake-up call for everyone, including government and the public sector, businesses and organisations. "Cyber security isn't a luxury, it's an absolute necessity." He said the government will later this year publish a new cyber security strategy, while new legislation, the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, will grant government new powers to direct regulated organisations to reinforce their cyber defences. M&S and the Co-op are widely reported to have been the victims of ransomware attacks where criminals infiltrate companies' computer systems, encrypt them and demand payment before allowing them to resume control. NCSC CEO Richard Horne told the conference he wanted to see a future where paying ransoms is no longer considered an option, where the business model for the attackers no longer works.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Government to unveil new cybersecurity measures after wave of attacks
Cyber attacks on major UK retailers in recent weeks should be a 'wake-up call' for firms across the country, a Cabinet minister will warn, as the Government unveils measures aimed at ramping up protections for British organisations. Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden will tell tech experts and business chiefs that cybersecurity is 'not a luxury but an absolute necessity' as he announces a £16 million package to boost defence at home and abroad. Harrods became the latest high-profile UK retailer to fall victim to hacking last week, after a serious ransomware attack on Marks & Spencer forced the company to suspend online orders and halt recruitment. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement The Co-op Group was also targeted, prompting it to shut down parts of its IT infrastructure. In a speech at the CyberUK conference in Manchester, Mr McFadden will say: 'Cyber attacks are not a game. Not a clever exercise. They are serious organised crime. The purpose is to damage and extort. 'The digital version of an old-fashioned shakedown, either straight theft or a protection racket where your business will be safe as long as you pay the gangsters. 'What we have seen over the past couple of weeks should serve as a wake-up call for businesses and organisations up and down the UK, as if we needed one, that cybersecurity is not a luxury but an absolute necessity.' ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement The Government is expected to unveil measures aimed at reinforcing systems against attack, including driving investment into CHERI, a 'magic chip' that builds advanced memory protections in microprocessors. Some £4.5 million will be spent helping firms bring the technology, which can block up to 70% of common cyber attacks, to market, the Cabinet Office said. A new software security code of practice will also be published on Wednesday, outlining essential steps the Government believes every organisation developing or selling software should be taking to secure their products. An extra £7 million for Britain's Laboratory for AI Security Research will be confirmed, along with investment of £8 million in Ukrainian cyber defences and more than £1 million to 'protect Moldovan elections'. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement Mr McFadden will say: 'Ukraine has put up an incredibly brave fight against (Vladimir) Putin's cyber warfare, and we have vowed to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukraine for as long as it takes to defend their sovereignty. 'And so we are going to invest £8 million in the Ukraine Cyber Programme over the next year to continue to counter the Kremlin's cyber aggression.' The senior Cabinet minister will say cyber will be a prime target for economic growth in the Government's upcoming industrial strategy. 'There is enormous potential for cyber security to be a driving force in our economy – creating jobs, growth and opportunities for people. It's already a sector on the up – with over 2,000 businesses across the UK,' he will say. 'It is going to be a significant commitment, a vote of confidence in your sector, and one that will tell the world: the UK plans to be a global player in cybersecurity for decades to come.'
The Independent
06-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Government to unveil new cybersecurity measures after wave of attacks
Cyber attacks on major UK retailers in recent weeks should be a 'wake-up call' for firms across the country, a Cabinet minister will warn, as the Government unveils measures aimed at ramping up protections for British organisations. Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden will tell tech experts and business chiefs that cybersecurity is 'not a luxury but an absolute necessity' as he announces a £16 million package to boost defence at home and abroad. Harrods became the latest high-profile UK retailer to fall victim to hacking last week, after a serious ransomware attack on Marks & Spencer forced the company to suspend online orders and halt recruitment. The Co-op Group was also targeted, prompting it to shut down parts of its IT infrastructure. In a speech at the CyberUK conference in Manchester, Mr McFadden will say: 'Cyber attacks are not a game. Not a clever exercise. They are serious organised crime. The purpose is to damage and extort. 'The digital version of an old-fashioned shakedown, either straight theft or a protection racket where your business will be safe as long as you pay the gangsters. 'What we have seen over the past couple of weeks should serve as a wake-up call for businesses and organisations up and down the UK, as if we needed one, that cybersecurity is not a luxury but an absolute necessity.' The Government is expected to unveil measures aimed at reinforcing systems against attack, including driving investment into CHERI, a 'magic chip' that builds advanced memory protections in microprocessors. Some £4.5 million will be spent helping firms bring the technology, which can block up to 70% of common cyber attacks, to market, the Cabinet Office said. A new software security code of practice will also be published on Wednesday, outlining essential steps the Government believes every organisation developing or selling software should be taking to secure their products. An extra £7 million for Britain's Laboratory for AI Security Research will be confirmed, along with investment of £8 million in Ukrainian cyber defences and more than £1 million to 'protect Moldovan elections'. Mr McFadden will say: 'Ukraine has put up an incredibly brave fight against (Vladimir) Putin's cyber warfare, and we have vowed to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukraine for as long as it takes to defend their sovereignty. 'And so we are going to invest £8 million in the Ukraine Cyber Programme over the next year to continue to counter the Kremlin's cyber aggression.' The senior Cabinet minister will say cyber will be a prime target for economic growth in the Government's upcoming industrial strategy. 'There is enormous potential for cyber security to be a driving force in our economy – creating jobs, growth and opportunities for people. It's already a sector on the up – with over 2,000 businesses across the UK,' he will say. 'It is going to be a significant commitment, a vote of confidence in your sector, and one that will tell the world: the UK plans to be a global player in cybersecurity for decades to come.'
CNA
06-05-2025
- Business
- CNA
M&S, Co-op cyberattackers duped IT help desks into resetting passwords, says report
LONDON :Cyberattacks on Britain's Marks & Spencer and Co-op Group started with hackers impersonating employees while contacting the retailers' IT help desks, technology specialist site BleepingComputer reported. The site said the hackers were able to convince the help desks to reset the impersonated employees' passwords so they could gain access to the network. It said this is why Britain's National Cyber Security Centre has recommended that all companies review their help desk processes to detect and block these types of breaches. "Criminal activity online – including, but not limited to, ransomware and data extortion – is rampant. Attacks like this are becoming more and more common. And all organisations, of all sizes, need to be prepared," Jonathon Ellison and Ollie Whitehouse, respectively national resilience director and chief technology officer at Britain's cyber security centre, said in a joint blog post. Both M&S and the Co-op declined to comment on the BleepingComputer report. Shares in M&S were down 4 per cent on Tuesday, extending losses since it first disclosed the cyber incident on April 22 to 12 per cent. On April 25, M&S stopped taking clothing and home orders through its website and app. It has not said when online ordering will resume, while the availability of some food products has also been affected. It has also not disclosed the financial impact. Analysts at Deutsche Bank estimate a profit hit of about 30 million pounds ($40 million) so far and the run rate at about 15 million pounds a week, given the knock-on effect on food. They said cyber insurance would likely cover most of the 30 million pounds but that cover is generally for a limited amount of time. "The biggest costs from a cyber attack is usually the cost of lost business and, if sensitive consumer data is compromised, any fines and loss of reputation," they said. Other expenses include immediate remediation with external cyber security and IT technology partners and future-proofing the business. The disruption could last for weeks. Ciaran Martin, the former CEO of the National Cyber Security Centre told Reuters that, after such a serious attack, the length of the recovery period at M&S was not unusual so far, given the need to rebuild computer networks. Last week, a group calling itself DragonForce told the BBC it had stolen the data of staff and potentially 20 million customers from the Co-op and was also behind attacks on M&S and London department store Harrods. BleepingComputer, citing multiple sources, had previously said the attack on M&S was believed to have been conducted by a hacking collective known as "Scattered Spider" deploying DragonForce ransomware. The National Cyber Security Centre said it could not say if the attacks were linked. ($1 = 0.7526 pounds)
