Co-op nearly got locked out of their computers during the cyber attack that saw customer data stolen and store shelves emptied, according to hackers who told the BBC. This info could help explain why Co-op is bouncing back faster than M&S, which got hit harder and is still struggling with online orders.
Hackers tried to infect Co-op with ransomware but got caught in the act. Co-op and M&S didn’t want to spill the beans, but these cyber crooks spilled a lot more than that. They were not happy that Co-op’s IT team shut down their own system to stop the hack. The gang, using some sketchy cyber crime service called DragonForce, went on a rant about the failed attack.
Cyber experts like Jen Ellis think Co-op did the right thing by causing chaos now to avoid bigger chaos later. The hackers bragged to the BBC that they were chilling in Co-op’s systems way before anyone noticed. They grabbed loads of private data and planned to unleash ransomware, but got busted. Ransomware would’ve made Co-op’s recovery harder, longer, and pricier – just like M&S is dealing with right now.
