Cyberattacks Hit Co-op and M&S
Two of the UK’s major retailers, the Co-op and Marks & Spencer, are dealing with cyberattacks just days apart. While M&S continues to suffer disruptions, the Co-op says it caught a hacking attempt early. It has shut down remote access, parts of its back office, and call centre operations, but stores and funeral homes remain open. Staff have been instructed to keep cameras on during video calls, verify attendees, and avoid recording or sharing sensitive information online.
An internal Co-op email confirmed attempts to access systems over the weekend, though it’s unclear if hackers succeeded. The company emphasized it’s taking “proactive” steps, with no current sign of customer data being compromised. Experts say such precautions hint at concerns hackers might already be inside the system. The attack comes as the UK faces a growing wave of cybercrime, with 89 major incidents reported last year — nearly triple the year before.
Meanwhile, the attack on M&S appears more severe. The company’s website and app remain partly disabled, reportedly due to a ransomware assault linked to the group Scattered Spider. This same group has previously targeted big names like MGM Resorts. Both cases are under investigation by the Metropolitan Police and the National Cyber Security Centre, which is urging other retailers to stay alert.
