DELIVERING MAJOR STORIES IN MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY
CYBERSECURITY
Scattered Spider hits UK retailers T
he cyber-criminal group known as Scattered Spider has emerged as a primary suspect in the ongoing investigation into a series of cyberattacks targeting UK retailers, including Marks & Spencer (M&S), according to law enforcement officials. The group, a loosely organised network of English-speaking hackers, is believed to be behind recent breaches involving M&S, the Co-op Group and Harrods. On 21 May, M&S revealed that the breach
is expected to cost approximately £300 million in lost profits. The National Crime Agency (NCA), which handles major cyber crime cases in the UK, confirmed that Scattered Spider is under close scrutiny as part of its inquiry. “We’re actively investigating the group known publicly as Scattered Spider,” said Paul Foster, head of the NCA’s National Cyber Crime Unit, in an interview with the BBC. “That being said, we’re exploring multiple lines of inquiry and will let the
evidence lead us to those who are truly responsible.” It has been reported that the hackers used a ransomware called Dragon Force in a Ransomware-as- a-Service operation where hackers use another group’s malware and infrastructure in exchange for a cut of any financial proceeds from the attack. Ransomware attackers demand a sum, usually paid in cryptocurrency, in exchange for unlocking any hacked files and returning stolen data.
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