A secretive gang of cyber criminals last night claimed to be behind the hacking attacks wreaking havoc on Britain’s high streets – warning this is ‘just the start’.
The group, called DragonForce, said it and its affiliates, which may include the Scattered Spider crew of teenage hackers, are responsible for attacks on Marks & Spencer, the Co-op and Harrods.
The hackers claimed to have stolen millions of customers’ data and said they are trying to force their victims to pay a ransom.
It came as Co-op said the personal data of customers, including names and contact details, had been stolen after cyber criminals accessed its systems, with the information watchdog highlighting that a similar situation could have taken place at M&S.
Retailers are on red alert for similar attacks, as DragonForce said it was poised to launch more. In an interview with Bloomberg, its anonymous creators threatened to release data if it does not receive payment from the retailers, saying it typically expects millions of pounds for ransom payments.
The group operates similarly to a criminal cartel and sells its software to other hackers, such as the Scattered Spider gang.
‘Our job is not to destroy, we just take some money and walk away,’ it said, also warning that the recent attacks were ‘just a start’. DragonForce hackers claimed more than 90 victims last year and targeted companies across various industries.
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) urged M&S and Co-op customers to use strong passwords and different ones across multiple platforms.
Stephen Bonner, ICO deputy commissioner, said: ‘We recognise that seeing cyber attacks in the news can be concerning, especially if you are a customer.
British teenagers have been linked to the notorious Scattered Spider hacking group responsible for the cyber attack that continues to cripple Marks & Spencer.
The alleged hack has cause mayhem for Marks & Spencer which has been unable to process online orders for days now
Harrods became the latest in a string of prominent retailers to be targeted by cyber hackers (Stock image)
Co-op and M&S customers were urged to use strong passwords and different ones across multiple platforms
‘If you are worried about your personal information, you can visit our website for advice and support. We also advise checking regularly for updates from the organisation and following their advice if they confirm that your personal information has been impacted by a cyber attack.’
While M&S would not comment on if shoppers’ data is at risk, boss Stuart Machin apologised to shoppers after the devastating attack that has lasted two weeks.
The chain’s customers and staff have been reeling from the disruption since Easter weekend, with millions of pounds of lost business still mounting. Harrods revealed it was also targeted this week, as technology experts warned over ‘copycat’ hacks.
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster is set to warn that cyber criminals are trying to hack firms ‘every hour of every day’.
Speaking at the CyberUK conference next week, Pat McFadden will say companies must treat cyber security as ‘an absolute priority’ in the face of a growing threat from ‘relentless’ criminals.
