It has been reported that customer data has been compromised in the recent cyber attack impacting retailer Marks and Spencer. Here, Ryan McConechy, CTO of Barrier Networks, gives his response.

“This is the update nobody wanted, but that most security experts were expecting. 

“Ransomware criminals don’t just target organisations to shut down their operations, they want a levy to encourage organisations to pay their demands, and customer data is always the jackpot. 

“By compromising customer data, attackers can not only put pressure on organisations to pay for it to be returned, but it also means if the victim doesn’t pay, they can sell the data on to other threat actors on the dark web, enabling them to still monetise from the attack.

“The big question now is what customers can do to protect themselves. 

“Fortunately, bank information doesn’t appear to have been compromised, but with the data the attackers have stolen, they could still launch phishing attacks against impacted customers. 

“These phishing emails could be in relation to the Marks and Spencer attack, or criminals could scan the dark web for other personal information relating to impacted customers and jigsaw more complete profiles on them. This could potentially enable them to commit identity fraud, or even gain access to their other online accounts.

“At this time, vigilance is key. Customers should always use caution in the online world, treat emails relating to the breach with care and avoid opening attachments or clicking on links. Most security savvy organisations will be aware of the risks with email communications, so they will avoid asking customers to click on links or open attachments. It is also important to check the email address where mail is coming from by hovering over the URL, as this is one of the best ways to check the legitimacy of the sender.”

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