Malware in aisle five: M&S cyber attack causes chaos

The essentially British and household name M&S was hit by a cyber attack, attributed to ransomware. In a ransomware attack, hackers lock up a company’s systems, causing significant disruption. Usually, they demand payment to remove it. The hack has incurred operational, financial, and reputational costs for M&S. Along with weekly profits and the stock price taking a hit, online orders have been suspended, and there are ongoing stock shortages.  As a result, M&S has been thrust into emergency mode, proactively managing the cyber incident by making public statements reassuring consumers, informing relevant authorities, and enlisting cybersecurity firms.