Another British retailer hit as cybercrime wave rattles high street giants
The Co-op has confirmed it was forced to shut down parts of its IT system following an attempted cyberattack earlier this week, just days after Marks & Spencer suffered a similar blow, leaving shelves bare and operations disrupted.
The retail group, which operates over 7,000 outlets across the UK, revealed it had taken “proactive steps” to prevent “unauthorised access” after detecting suspicious activity on its network.
M&S Hack Raises Alarm Across Retail Sector
The attempted breach came hot on the heels of a cyberattack on Marks & Spencer, which saw contactless payments and click-and-collect orders grind to a halt. The disruption left some stores with limited stock and pushed down the retailer’s market value.
In response, M&S enlisted the help of cybercrime specialists from the National Crime Agency (NCA) and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). The company stated it was “working hard” to return operations to normal, acknowledging “limited availability” in several stores.
Teen Hackers Behind M&S Attack?
The hacking group allegedly responsible for the M&S incident, dubbed Scattered Spider, is reported to be made up of British and American teenagers. Investigators believe they may have used tools linked to a cybercriminal outfit called DragonForce, known in the dark web as a “ransomware cartel.”
A Broader Threat
The timing of the Co-op incident has sparked concern over a growing pattern. The UK Government’s latest Cyber Security Breaches Survey, released earlier this month, revealed that four in ten businesses suffered a cyberattack or data breach in the past year, though this marks a slight decrease compared to the year before.
Co-op Issues Statement
A spokesperson for the Co-op commented on the attempted breach: “We have recently experienced attempts to gain unauthorised access to some of our systems.
As a result, we have taken proactive steps to keep our systems safe, which has resulted in a small impact to some of our back office and call centre services.
All our stores (including quick commerce operations) and funeral homes are trading as usual. We are working hard to reduce any disruption to our services and would like to thank our colleagues, members, partners and suppliers for their understanding during this period.
We are not asking our members or customers to do anything differently at this point. We will continue to provide updates as necessary.”
As cyberattacks continue to target major UK retailers, the incidents involving M&S and Co-op serve as stark reminders of the vulnerabilities businesses face. With high street chains becoming frequent targets, cybersecurity remains a critical concern, not just for corporations but for millions of British consumers.
