Co-op and M&S face continued cyber attack disruption

Co-op and Marks and Spencer are both still dealing with the aftermath of cyber attacks which hit them last week.

Co-op has warned of ongoing product shortages as it continues to battle the “sustained” cyber attack, particularly in fresh categories such as fruit, vegetables, meat and dairy.

The retailer confirmed on Friday (2 May) that the hackers had stolen the personal data of a number of customers.

CEO Shirine Khoury-Haq stated in a letter to members that a “limited amount” of member data had been compromised. “This is obviously extremely distressing for our colleagues and members, and I am very sorry this happened,” she said.

The retailer said it was working closely with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and National Crime Agency to investigate the breach.

Meanwhile, M&S has confirmed that it has had to suspend many of its meal deal offerings as a result of the cyber attack, which has entered its third week.

The hack has caused substantial stock availability issues affecting the retailer’s ability to fulfil its meal deal offerings.

The retailer’s lunchtime meal deals, usually available in smaller stores located in train stations, airports, and petrol stations, have been significantly affected. Furthermore, its dine-in meal deals, priced between £6 to £15 and offering various combinations of starters, mains, and desserts, have also been paused.

The attack, attributed to a gang of teenage hackers, is believed to be ransomware, a type of cyber attack that freezes systems until a ransom is paid. M&S has already had to halt all online orders for over a week, as well as having stock shortages.

A hacker group, DragonForce, has claimed responsibility for the attacks, alleging that it has stolen personal information from 20 million Co-op members. M&S has not disclosed whether customer data has been affected.