JCNSS Chair responds to M&S and Co-op cyber attacks
2 May 2025
The Chair of the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy has responded to news that major retailers Marks & Spencer and Co-op have faced cyber attacks in recent days.
Today, the Co-op has shut down parts of its IT system after discovering an attempted hack. Meanwhile the Metropolitan Police has confirmed that it is investigating a highly disruptive attack on Marks & Spencer. It is not clear whether the two incidents are linked.
Chair quote
Matt Western MP, Chair of the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy, said:
“These serious attacks threaten not just the bottom line of the businesses involved but also the wider food supply chain. If shelves are left empty and deliveries unfulfilled, local communities will suffer.
Ransomware is a real and growing threat to many aspects of our daily lives. Cyber security affects us all, and we must do more to prevent these attacks knocking out whole sectors of our economy in future.
As the Government concludes its consultation on proposals to counter ransomware, I hope its response treats these threats with the seriousness they clearly deserve, and I look forward to the Committee scrutinising the Government’s next steps in detail.”
Further information
Image: Adobe Stock