The Marks &
Spencer
The website is unavailable to customers as the retailer undergoes an extended restoration process following a cyberattack.
Visitors
Upon visiting the M&S website, users encounter the following message: “Apologies, but you cannot navigate the site at this moment. We are undergoing some updates and anticipate returning shortly.”
The website cannot be utilized otherwise.
The
BBC
reports the site may be undergoing routine maintenance.
Marks & Spencer has been reached out to for comments.
M&S halted orders on its website and saw empty shelves after being targeted by hackers around the Easter weekend, and customer personal data, which could have included names, email addresses, postal addresses and dates of birth, was also taken by hackers in the attack.
The large retailer stated on Wednesday that “human error” led to the attack, expected to cost the company approximately £300 million. CEO Stuart Machin acknowledged that disruptions might continue until July.
This announcement was made after the firm revealed an unexpectedly high adjusted pretax profit of £875.5 million for the fiscal year ending in March, marking a rise of 22.2% compared to the prior year.
Robert Cottrill, the technology director at the digital company ANS, emphasized that it was crucial for M&S to take ample time to correctly recover their systems so as to guarantee security and avoid future occurrences.
“M&S seems to be undertaking the right measures after the cyberattack, presumably concentrating on getting essential systems back online and retrieving crucial information,” he stated to the PA news agency.
“The extended disruption may well be a result of attackers having targeted key infrastructure, which takes time to fully assess, secure and restore.
“Given the scale and complexity of M&S’s globally connected operations, the recovery process is understandably meticulous, with multiple interconnected systems requiring scrutiny.”
“It’s essential that M&S prioritises a secure and complete recovery over a rapid one. Rushing to bring systems back online without full assurance of their integrity could risk further compromise.
“Ensuring robust security at every layer before resumption is not just sensible – it’s vital.
The significant disruptions and revenue losses experienced by M&S after the incident clearly illustrate a crucial lesson for every organization: cybersecurity should be considered a top-tier concern at the board level. No company is safe from cyber threats, and businesses with intricate digital environments are especially susceptible.
Successful incident response strategies, frequent evaluations, and teamwork with cybersecurity specialists are essential for reducing disruptions.
However, above all, adopting a forward-thinking strategy that incorporates threat detection, security-by-design concepts, and employee education serves as the strongest defense against the ever-more complex threats.
The Independent has consistently maintained a worldwide viewpoint. Rooted in strong foundations of exceptional international journalism and analysis, The Independent now boasts a scope that would have been unimaginable at its launch as a newcomer in the UK media landscape. In this era, for the first time since the conclusion of the Second World War, these core principles—pluralism, rationality, progressivism, humanism, and global engagement—are facing challenges globally. Nevertheless, The Independent continues to expand.
