Woman and three teenagers arrested after M&S, Co-op and Harrods cyber attacks

FILE PHOTO: A logo of food and clothes' retailer Marks and Spencer (M&S) is seen at a branch in London, Britain March 10, 2022. REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo
The supermarket chain took weeks to recover from the incident (Picture: Reuters)

Four people have been arrested after a wave of cyber attacks struck Marks & Spencer, Co-op and Harrods this year.

A woman and three teenagers were arrested early yesterday morning on suspicion of blackmail, money laundering, offences linked to the Computer Misuse Act and participating in the activities of an organised crime group.

The arrests included a British man, 17, from the West Midlands, a Latvian man, 19, from the West Midlands, a British man, 19, from London and a 20-year-old British woman from Staffordshire.

M&S was hit by a ‘highly sophisticated’ cyber breach that crippled operations over the Easter weekend.

Food deliveries, click and collect services and online orders were upended for weeks, while M&S stocks spiralled.

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Paul Foster, head of the National Crime Agency’s (NCA) National Cyber Crime Unit, said: ‘Since these attacks took place, specialist NCA cybercrime investigators have been working at pace and the investigation remains one of the agency’s highest priorities.

‘Today’s arrests are a significant step in that investigation, but our work continues, alongside partners in the UK and overseas, to ensure those responsible are identified and brought to justice.’

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