Four people have been arrested as part of a National Crime Agency investigation into cyberattacks targeting M&S, Co-op and Harrods.
A 17-year-old British male from the West Midlands, a 19-year-old British male from London, a 19-year-old Latvian male from the West Midlands and a 20-year-old British woman from Staffordshire were arrested this morning on suspicion of Computer Misuse Act offences, blackmail, money laundering and participating in the activities of an organised crime group.
All four were arrested at their home addresses and had their electronic devices seized for digital forensic analysis.
They remain in custody for questioning by officers from the NCA’s National Cyber Crime Unit in relation to the three attacks, which devastated M&S and Co-op earlier this year.
The operation was supported by officers from the West Midlands Regional Organised Crime Unit and the East Midlands Special Operations Unit.
M&S and Co-op were hit by cyberattacks within days of each other in late April, as was Harrods. M&S is still rebuilding its systems, with online clothing sales expected to be fully restored by August. The retailer is expecting to take a £300m hit to profits this year as a result. It resumed online orders of some clothing ranges in June.
Earlier this week, M&S’s chairman Archie Norman declined to directly answer whether or not the retailer paid cyberattackers a ransom, when asked the question by MPs.
Co-op moved to a “recovery phase” in May, having suffered severe availability issues during the attack.
“Since these attacks took place, specialist NCA cybercrime investigators have been working at pace and the investigation remains one of the agency’s highest priorities,” deputy director Paul Foster, head of the NCA’s National Cyber Crime Unit, said.
“Today’s arrests are a significant step in that investigation but our work continues, alongside partners in the UK and overseas, to ensure those responsible are identified and brought to justice,” he added.
In a statement, M&S said “we welcome this development” and thanked the NCA for its “diligent work on this incident”.
Foster added that he hoped the arrests “signal to future victims the importance of seeking support and engaging with law enforcement as part of the reporting process. The NCA and policing are here to help.”
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