Four people have been arrested in connection with the cyberattacks that targeted both M&S and the Co-op earlier this year.
It was hard to escape the cyberattacks back in April, with M&S being hit first as a huge amount of private data belonging to customers and staff was stolen. The attackers released ransomware that scrambled IT networks unless the money was paid, with M&S bosses also receiving threatening emails demanding the payout.
Just a few days later, the Co-op was also targeted, but after they downplayed the effect of the cyberattack, the criminals went to the BBC with the full story.
As a result, Co-op shelves were left bare for weeks as M&S grappled with dwindling stock and a broken IT system. Even now, the businesses are still feeling the consequences, with IT systems at M&S not expected to be fully functioning until October or November. The retailer also reported estimated losses of £300m.
Credit: Vuk Valcic/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock
Now, four people have been arrested in connection with the cyberattacks, and shockingly, all of them are under the age of 21.
A woman and three men were arrested for the M&S and the Co-op cyberattacks
On Thursday, a breaking news story from the BBC revealed four people who had been arrested over the M&S and the Co-op cyberattacks that began in mid-April. According to the report, a 20-year-old woman was arrested in Staffordshire, as three men aged between 17 and 19 were arrested in London and the West Midlands in the early hours of Thursday morning.
They were reportedly detained under suspicion of breaking the Computer Misuse Act, as well as offences of blackmail, money laundering and participating in the activities of an organised crime group. Their electronic devices were also seized by the police.
An update from M&S pic.twitter.com/PSbIGHJtMY
— M&S (@marksandspencer) April 25, 2025
Paul Foster, head of the NCA’s National Cyber Crime Unit, said the arrests were a “significant step” in his investigation, adding: “But our work continues, alongside partners in the UK and overseas, to ensure those responsible are identified and brought to justice.”
This is a developing news story, and further details are expected to follow.
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Featured image credit: Vuk Valcic/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock and Alex Lentati/LNP/Shutterstock
