M&S and Co-op Cyber-Attacks: Four Arrested in Major Crackdown
Four people have been arrested in connection with recent ransomware and data theft cases, and M&S and Co-op are still at the center of a growing cybercrime investigation. The National Crime Agency (NCA) confirmed the arrests. They included a 20-year-old woman from Staffordshire and three men between the ages of 17 and 19. Early in the morning, officers worked together to raid places all over London and the West Midlands.
Police took all four into custody for alleged violations of the Computer Misuse Act, blackmail, money laundering, and involvement in an organised crime group. Officers also seized electronic devices during the raids, part of a larger investigation that began in April.
Arrests Tied to M&S and Co-op Hacking
A 19-year-old Latvian national living in the West Midlands is one of the suspects. The other three are citizens of the UK. People who lived nearby in Staffordshire said the police action was intense, with NCA agents breaking down a door and taking several devices from the house.
Paul Foster, who is in charge of the National Cyber Crime Unit at the NCA, praised the progress. “This is a big step forward,” he said. “But we still have work to do. We are still working with partners in the UK and other countries to find everyone and hold them responsible.
Fallout from M&S and Co-op Cyber-Attacks Continues
Both M&S and Co-op were hit hard by the ransomware attacks. M&S said that some of its IT systems might not be back online until October or even November. The business thinks it will lose as much as £300 million in profits. The head of M&S told MPs that the hackers wanted to “destroy the business.”
The Co-op had the same kind of chaos, with stores having empty shelves for weeks. Hackers got in touch with the company directly and told them about the stolen data. The Co-op then told everyone how bad the breach was. They were lucky that they were able to stop more damage by quickly taking systems offline before the ransomware fully activated.
Cybercrime Sweep Expands to Other Targets
Harrods, a high-end store, also said it was the victim of a cyber attack, which may have been linked to the same group. But quick action kept its systems from being seriously damaged.
The NCA said that organized crime units in the West and East Midlands helped with the arrests. These actions show how serious and big the threat is, as cyber-attacks become more common and complex..
