Summary
Hackers targeted Marks & Spencer (M&S) with a ransomware attack, sending a threatening email directly to the company's CEO, Stuart Machin, demanding a ransom. The email came from a group called DragonForce and used the account of an employee from Tata Consultancy Services. Customers were later informed that their data might have been compromised.
Key Facts
- Hackers sent an abusive email to M&S CEO Stuart Machin on April 23, demanding a ransom.
- The email came from the hacker group called DragonForce and was sent using an employee account from Tata Consultancy Services.
- The email confirmed for the first time that M&S was hacked by a ransomware group.
- Hackers claimed to have encrypted M&S’s servers and stolen customer data.
- The company informed customers weeks later that their data might have been stolen.
- The incident connects to an ongoing hack affecting another retailer, Co-op, which DragonForce also claimed responsibility for.
- Tata Consultancy Services is investigating whether its systems were involved but stated the email did not come from its system.
- The ransomware group provides services on their darknet website for other cybercriminals, taking a percentage of ransoms collected.
