Authorities Arrest Four Hackers Linked to Cyberattacks on UK Retailers

On Thursday, authorities in the U.K. announced the apprehension of four individuals linked to a series of hacking incidents that targeted several British retailers earlier this year, including Marks & Spencer, Harrods, and the Co-op.

The National Crime Agency disclosed that a 20-year-old woman, two 19-year-old men, and a 17-year-old youth were arrested at various locations throughout the U.K. on charges of hacking, blackmail, money laundering, and connections to an organized crime group.

Although the suspects’ identities have not been revealed, authorities confirmed their detention in relation to the hacking events, per the NCA.

Starting in April, hackers initiated a series of breaches that compromised customer data at the Co-op and later at Marks & Spencer. These attacks have been connected to a group known as Scattered Spider, which uses impersonation and deceit to manipulate call center staff and company help desks into granting access to networks.

The hackers allegedly leveraged this access to allow a ransomware group known as DragonForce to deploy its file-encrypting malware on Marks & Spencer’s systems. The Co-op reportedly prevented the ransomware from being activated by shutting down its network ahead of time. Harrods also claimed to have mitigated a significant portion of a cyberattack.