Inside Croydon

Clothing and food retailer Marks and Spencer has today issued a message to its 9million-plus online customers, confirming that they may have had some personal data stolen in the latest malicious hack attack and advising them to be “cautious” over future communications claiming to be from the company.

Marks and Spencer is advising customers that they will need to reset passwords once business returns to something like normal.

M&S is the latest target for a ransom attack, where hackers access confidential computer data and use it as leverage against the victim. In the past year, the NHS in London and Transport for London have taken months to untangle the damage caused by hacks into their systems, while the Co-op was also hacked recently, causing havoc with their supermarkets’ supply lines.

There are fears that the hackers could yet share or sell on the stolen data as part of their attempts to extort M&S, with a continuing risk of identity fraud.

The data stolen in the Marks and Spencer attack is reported to include telephone numbers, home addresses and dates of birth, as well as online order histories, but not bank or card details, or any account passwords.

M&S was hit by the cyber attack three weeks ago. Online orders remain suspended. Continue reading →