Co-op Cyberattack as Marks and Spencer Disruption Continues to Unfold

The Co-op has become the latest major British retailer to fall victim to a cyberattack, following a similar disruption at Marks & Spencer. Operating over 2,300 food shops and 800 funeral homes, the Co-op was forced to shut parts of its IT systems after detecting attempts to gain unauthorised access. Despite this, all stores, including rapid home delivery services and funeral homes, remain operational as investigations proceed.

The retailer confirmed that proactive measures had been taken to secure its systems, leading to mild disruptions in back-office and call centre functions. A spokesperson for the Co-op stated, “We have recently experienced attempts to gain unauthorised access to some of our systems. As a result, we have taken steps to safeguard operations, which has caused minimal impact to our services.”

This attack comes shortly after Marks & Spencer revealed it was dealing with a ransomware attack, causing significant disruption to its operations. Sources have confirmed that the ongoing issues at M&S resulted in empty shelves at many stores and the suspension of online orders. Customers have been advised to wait for email notifications regarding their click-and-collect orders.

Experts have suggested the attack on M&S might have involved a network of young hackers, dubbed “Scattered Spider,” operating from both the UK and the US. Reports highlight that the group may have accessed the M&S Windows domain database file, potentially compromising essential security data and user accounts. While Marks & Spencer works to rewrite affected software code, it has expressed commitment to minimising disruptions across its retail estate.

Cybersecurity analysts warn retail customers to adopt protective measures, such as updating passwords, particularly if identical credentials are used across different platforms. Paul Cashmore, CEO of Solace Global Cyber, emphasised the importance of changing compromised passwords to prevent further exploitation of personal accounts. “Password breaches are often the gateway for ransomware developments,” he stated.

The National Cyber Security Centre and Metropolitan Police’s cybercrime unit are actively investigating both incidents. While concerns grow over retailers’ preparedness against such cyber threats, Marks & Spencer and the Co-op continue to reassure customers that every measure is being taken to restore normalcy.

These successive attacks underline the growing risks facing businesses and their customers in an increasingly digital retail environment.