Latest news with #JoeJones
Wales Online
25-05-2025
- Business
- Wales Online
M&S cyber attack: Shoppers warned to look out for two scam emails from fraudsters
M&S cyber attack: Shoppers warned to look out for two scam emails from fraudsters MandS shoppers have been warned to be on the lookout for scam emails from fraudsters after the retail giant suffered a cyber attack that saw some customer data being compromised The retailer declared an incident on April 22 after the cyber attack The ongoing cyber incident at Marks & Spencer has not only disrupted customer services but also heightened concerns over cyber security. Customers have been cautioned to remain alert and be on the lookout for fraudulent emails from scammers. The high street retailer has confirmed that certain customer details were compromised during the cyber attack, including email addresses and records of online purchases. The disruption to services is ongoing. With the breach of some customers' data, cyber security specialists have sounded the alarm for shoppers, urging them to be cautious of fake communications from scammers leveraging the stolen data, reports the Mirror. Sign up for our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here. Cybersecurity expert Joe Jones, CEO of Pistachio, said: "Shoppers should be on high alert for convincing scam emails, texts and calls." He strongly recommended against clicking on links from unknown sources and suggested visiting the official website directly for accurate updates. Article continues below Mr Jones highlighted a couple of potential scam emails that cybercriminals might utilise: "With access to names, contact details, and even order histories, cybercriminals can easily craft realistic messages that appear to be from M&S. Be cautious of emails claiming 'your order is out for delivery' or 'there's an issue with your recent purchase'. "Just because they include details that feel familiar, such as your favourite items, this does not prove their authenticity." He further warned that scams could emerge weeks or months after the ongoing incident, emphasising the need for ongoing vigilance. Zain Javed, CTO at cybersecurity firm Citation Cyber, believes online retailers will intensify their security protocols following the cyberattack. He said: "Retailers will be keen to tighten protections, which means customers might encounter more frequent identity checks, multi-factor authentication during purchases, or longer verification processes at checkout. "It's important for consumers to follow these steps as it is essential to help protect from cyber attacks." Adding to the caution, Niall McConachie, regional director for UK and Ireland at cybersecurity company Yubico, indicated that even robust precautions such as strong passwords and two-step verifications may not be enough to thwart determined fraudsters. He suggests considering physical passkeys as an alternative security layer, which may involve biological recognition techniques like facial or fingerprint scanning. Mr McConachie explained: "Passkeys are a more secure data protection option than traditional passwords and legacy MFA since they don't require users to recall or manually enter long sequences of characters that can be forgotten, stolen or intercepted. And when shopping online, they do not slow down the checkout process." He also outlined their benefits by stating, "Passkeys allow shoppers to securely manage logins across countless platforms and applications, offering a stronger authentication method than passwords or even two-step verification. With device-bound passkeys providing the highest level of security, customers can truly safeguard themselves and their valuable data." Article continues below
Metro
22-05-2025
- Business
- Metro
M&S website down day after shop warned of cyber attack disruption until July
Just a day after an executive said disruptions from a cyber attack will last until July, the Marks & Spencer website is down for customers again. Visitors to the M&S website are greeted with the message: 'Sorry, you can't browse the site currently. We're making some updates and will be back soon.' The BBC has reported that the site may be undergoing routine maintenance, but questions have been raised after the recent cyber incident. M&S halted orders on its website and stores had empty shelves after being targeted by hackers around the Easter weekend. The hackers accessed customer personal data, which could have included names, email addresses, postal addresses and dates of birth. The retail giant said on Wednesday that 'human error' caused the attack, which will cost the firm around £300 million, and chief executive Stuart Machin confirmed disruption could last until July. Despite recent issues, M&S reported a higher-than-expected adjusted pre-tax profit of £875.5 million for the year to March, up 22.2% from 2024. Joe Jones, CEO of the cybersecurity attack simulation company Pistachio, previously explained to Metro that while the upmarket retailer seems like a rogue choice for hackers to go for, it makes a lot of sense. 'M&S is a household name with a vast and loyal customer base, which makes it a high-value target for cybercriminals,' he told Metro. More Trending 'Large retailers hold enormous amounts of personal data, everything from names and addresses to detailed purchase histories. That kind of data is gold dust for attackers running social engineering scams or looking to sell verified profiles on the dark web.' M&S, like many retailers, isn't just a brick-and-mortar store. It's websites, mobile apps, marketing emails and delivery services that amount to more 'digital touchpoints that can be exploited'. 'It's not necessarily that M&S was uniquely vulnerable; rather, it's a classic case of 'big brand, big data, big target',' he added. None of the victims of the breach has revealed the details of how crooks jimmied open their systems. The National Cyber Security Centre said that officials aren't sure if the attacks are linked. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: These are the 9 best (and most comfortable!) ballet flats to wear this summer MORE: The unhealthiest supermarket sandwiches with more calories than a Big Mac MORE: Marks and Spencer says customer data was stolen in cyber attack
Metro
20-05-2025
- Business
- Metro
Reasons M&S and Co-op were hacked - and why more retailers might be next
Marks & Spencer (M&S). Co-op. Harrods. Dior. A government legal aid office. A food distributor that supplies Tesco, Sainsbury's and Aldi. A raft of retailers and suppliers have been the targets of cyber incidents in recent weeks. Today alone, it has emerged that the logistics firm Peter Green Chilled and the Danish food giant Arla Foods have been hit by cyber crooks. Hackers wriggled into computer systems and stole some customer data, like dates of birth and addresses. Co-op shut down its IT system to prevent hackers from snatching personal and financial information like shopper passwords or bank details. The cyber incidents caused company stocks to tumble, and shoppers were contending with empty shelves and deliveries being paused. But why are these retailers being targeted? Joe Jones, CEO of the cybersecurity attack simulation company Pistachio, said that while the upmarket retailer seems like a rogue choice for hackers to go for, it makes a lot of sense. 'M&S is a household name with a vast and loyal customer base, which makes it a high-value target for cybercriminals,' he told Metro. 'Large retailers hold enormous amounts of personal data, everything from names and addresses to detailed purchase histories. That kind of data is gold dust for attackers running social engineering scams or looking to sell verified profiles on the dark web.' M&S, like many retailers, isn't just a brick-and-mortar store. It's websites, mobile apps, marketing emails and delivery services that amount to more 'digital touchpoints that can be exploited'. 'It's not necessarily that M&S was uniquely vulnerable; rather, it's a classic case of 'big brand, big data, big target',' he added. James Hadley, the founder of the Bristol-based cybersecurity firm Immersive, said M&S isn't alone. 'Retail isn't as heavily regulated as, say, financial services, so the burden of proof is lower on how you demonstrate and prove cyber security,' he told Metro. 'It's impossible to be 100% secure and all it needs is one supplier, one connection, one partner, one employee, one misconfiguration, and the attackers can get in and detonate the malware,' he added, referring to malicious software. Hackers who claim to be behind the cyber attack on Co-op said they infected the grocer's IT systems with ransomware, which involves breaking into a computer network and locking up information until the victim pays. Hadley added: 'You could have 1,000 technical controls and, if one person gets in, it's all over.' In other words, retailers are easy targets. M&S, founded in 1884, has had decades to build a 'sprawling IT estate'. Stressing that he's speaking 'hypothetically', Hadley said: 'You have all this breadth and depth… that is a much harder thing to prove security compared to an organisation that is only five years old and doesn't have this legacy IT estate.' None of the victims of the breach has revealed the details of how crooks jimmied open their systems. The National Cyber Security Centre said that officials aren't sure if the attacks are linked. But Hadley believes, as other analysts have said, that the hijackers used 'social-engineering attacks on service desks' to gain initial access. A social-engineering attack is the practice of deceiving someone, often with email but also with phone calls, to get information. 'Someone calling and saying, 'Hey, it's the service desk here, you need to reset your password',' Hadley said. 'That person is tricked by someone impersonating M&S into giving details, enough to open the door into someone getting access and, from there, deploy their ransomware.' As ominous as this sounds, this cyber attack wasn't 'sophisticated', said Jones. 'It came down to human error,' he said. 'According to reports, the attackers gained access through a third-party contractor, then spent more than two days inside M&S's systems before anyone noticed. That kind of dwell time is concerning, but unfortunately, not uncommon. 'We see this pattern time and time again. Most breaches don't start with Hollywood-style hacking.' The attacks have been linked to a loose hacking collective called Scattered Spider. DragonForce, a 'ransomware cartel' whose previous targets include Coca-Cola, Yakult and the government of Palau, is believed to have made the ransomware. Both M&S and Co-op are working to restore their systems, 'working around the clock to get things back to normal', M&S said in an Instagram post. From phoney emails saying our parcel has been delayed to texts claiming to be from your mum, scams come in many forms these days. And the reason, more often than that, that you receive these dodgy messages is because a hacker snatched your data. 'M&S has a very diverse range of customers and ages, and technical abilities,' explained Hadley. 'They can then pretend to potentially be M&S by telephone and email, and then share some information with the individual that would make them believe it is M&S. All customers should be 'hyper-aware' over the coming months, warned Jones, even though no financial data was swiped. Jones recommended people: Change their passwords – and don't, as one expert recently told Metro , don't have your password be '123456'. , don't have your password be '123456'. Enable 'stronger security where possible, think two-factor authentication that involves an app or use a physical authenticator called a hardware key. 'Adopt a zero-trust mindset.' Be wary of any unexpected communication from M&S, like an email about a delivery, and try to verify it by going directly to the M&S website. 'So, 'hey, this is Marks and Spencer. Can you confirm an order you placed with this in the past six months?'' But don't expect these cyber-incidents to stop anytime soon, he warned: 'When we look at the retail supply chain, we can see more of this happening now, 'Now this particular one has been impacted, when the attackers might start surging into retail, recognising that it might be an unprotected space.' And don't expect them to only happen to supermarkets, warned Robert Cottrill, a technology director at the digital transformation company, ANS. M&S and Co-op are 'merely the incidents that made headlines', he said. 'In reality, organisations across all sectors and geographies are at risk,' Cottrill added. 'Cybersecurity must be a priority, because cyber criminals aren't waiting, and neither should you.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: These are the 9 best (and most comfortable!) ballet flats to wear this summer MORE: The unhealthiest supermarket sandwiches with more calories than a Big Mac MORE: I rarely buy drinks from Co-op — but £7.35 bottle blew me away
Daily Record
18-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Working from home 'making companies more vulnerable to M&S-style cyberattacks'
Cybersecurity experts warned the rise of hybrid working plus tools like AI voice simulation had 'changed the game' for hackers. Working from home is making companies more vulnerable to M&S-style cyberattacks, experts have warned. Joe Jones, boss of cybersecurity firm Pistachio, has told how the rise of hybrid working along with tools like AI voice simulation have 'changed the game' for hackers. He highlighted cases where workers have been tricked by AI into thinking they're speaking to their boss or finance team as scams become ever more sophisticated. It comes amid reports the hack on the major retailer, thought to have been carried out by notorious cyber criminals Scattered Spider, saw IT help desk workers duped into handing over access to company systems. So-called 'social engineering' attacks - targeting human vulnerabilities rather than system flaws - have become the preferred tactic of hackers, with a Mimecast study finding 95 per cent of data breaches last year were linked to human error. Jones, whose firm runs cyberattack simulations for companies, warned a new £16million UK Government package to ramp up cyber defences was only part of the equation. He said: 'AI voice simulation can now trick you into thinking you're speaking to your finance director, or an email can write exactly like your boss. 'Some of these hacks are very sophisticated and the increase of working from home since the pandemic has left us more vulnerable. 'While added investment into cybersecurity can help reduce attacks like this in the future, far, far more important than that is educating people on how to avoid an attack. 'Buying cybersecurity technology but not training human beings is like putting an expensive security camera and alarm system on your house and then leaving all the doors open.' The late April attack, which also affected Co-op and Harrod's, caused panic among the retailers with online orders suspended and store shelves lying empty. Experts including Jones and Jude McCorry, boss of Scotland's Cyber and Fraud Centre, warned the M&S hack - which the retail giant has now admitted saw personal data stolen - will likely lead to a 'wave' of phishing attacks targeting customers. McCorry said: 'We need to start thinking outside the box around this. 'Staff training (on cyber security) I think should be mandatory in organisations, and it should be mandatory in government as well. 'We should do cyber exercises the same way as we do fire drills. 'We rely on technology for everything - our internet banking, our shopping and how we pay, how we order things, how we click and collect and even how we get our food onto the shelves and into restaurants. 'This should be a wake up call. We hope maybe people will realise how delicate the system is.' She advised all M&S customers to change their password and ensure they're using different passwords on different sites, as well as two-factor or multi-factor authentication. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. McCorry, whose Cyber and Fraud Centre is Scotland's only social enterprise dedicated to cybersecurity, warned: 'Even if the threat to your own data isn't there, there will be threat actors out there pretending they are from M&S or pretending that they've got your data. 'We should make sure we're having conversations with older people as well, and family and friends, on how to protect themselves.' Jones added: 'We often see this kind of breach followed by a wave of personalised phishing attempts. 'Anyone with an M&S account should be extra cautious and stay alert for emails or texts claiming to be from the retailer.'
Daily Mail
02-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE I'm a cyber expert - the recent attacks on M&S and Harrods are no coincidence... and customers could now be in danger
The cyber attacks on M&S and Harrods occurring within the space of a few days are not a coincidence, an expert has warned. Joe Jones, CEO and founder of cybersecurity app Pistachio, said customers may be in danger from the attacks due to the 'enormous amount' of consumer data both major retailers hold. Yesterday, luxury London department store Harrods confirmed it has been targeted by cyber hackers, leaving some customers unable to make purchases. It came just days after similar incidents in recent days at both M&S and the Co-op, sparking fears the attacks could be linked. Mr Jones told MailOnline: 'It's too early to confirm if the attacks are coordinated, but the close timing suggests either a targeted campaign or that attackers are exploiting the same vulnerability across multiple retailers. 'It's also entirely possible that news of one successful breach inspired malicious actors to opportunistically launch follow-ups while the industry is distracted and vulnerable.' Mr Jones added that the attacks are 'absolutely' a cause for concern, particularly for customers who have shared personal data with the retailers. 'Retail companies hold an enormous amount of consumer data, from payment information to passwords (often reused by customers across multiple sites) to customer behavioural insights,' he said. 'As a result, any breach can have serious consequences for both businesses and customers.' Mr Jones added: 'This should be a wake up call not just for retail, but for any industry that handles sensitive customer data. 'Cybersecurity is no longer just an IT issue - it's a board-level, business critical priority. Companies need to assume they will be targeted and build resilience accordingly.' A Harrods spokesperson said yesterday: '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 'We are not asking our customers to do anything differently at this point, and we will continue to provide updates as necessary.' Harrods is understood to be using specialists to help fix and investigate the problem. Scotland Yard detectives are probing the devastating IT meltdown at M&S thought to be caused by teenage hackers, it was reported this week. A shadowy group operating under the name Scattered Spider was previously said to be behind the M&S attack, which has crippled the retailer for more than a week. Detectives have been working alongside the National Cyber Security Centre and data watchdog the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). Bosses at the retailer are said to have asked for help from experts at Microsoft as well as cyber security professionals CrowdStrike and Fenix24.
