Sun, 18 May 2025

Sun, 18 May 2025 A letter from the M&S hackers landed in my inbox - this is what happened next

BBC's Joe Tidy spoke directly to those who claim they are responsible for hacking M&S and Co-op.
Hackers who claim to be part of a cyber crime service called DragonForce have contacted a journalist and revealed that they were behind recent hacks on M&S and Co-op, which resulted in significant data breaches. The hackers provided evidence of their involvement and claimed to have stolen private customer and employee information from the retailers. DragonForce is a ransomware-as-a-service group that offers its services to affiliates in exchange for a 20% cut of any ransoms collected. The group has been targeting organizations since 2023 and has advertised its services on darknet websites. The hackers who contacted the journalist also revealed that DragonForce had rebranded itself as a cartel offering more options to hackers, including 24/7 customer support. However, the group's darknet website was recently hacked and defaced by a rival gang called RansomHub. It is not known where DragonForce is based or who the people behind it are, but experts believe they may be located in Malaysia or Russia. The group has no specific targets or agenda other than making money. The journalist also spoke to hackers who claimed to be part of a loose collective of cyber criminals called Scattered Spider, which is believed to be responsible for some ransomware attacks on US retailers. However, the true extent of Scattered Spider's involvement in these attacks is not clear. The hacks on M&S and Co-op have raised concerns about the level of sophistication and organization behind modern cyber crime. While authorities have issued warnings about the threat posed by DragonForce and Scattered Spider, it remains to be seen whether these groups will be caught or brought to justice.
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