What to do if you're worried about the Co-op and Marks and Spencer hacks

What to do if you're worried about the Co-op and Marks and Spencer hacks

The following has been posted by Which? Scam alerts. What to do if you're worried about the Co-op and Marks and Spencer hacks - Which?

Find out how to protect your data, avoid scams and stay safe against ransomware attacks

Co-op and M&S have been hit with major cyberattacks in the past few weeks, causing disruption to online orders and stock availability in stores.

M&S online orders have been paused since 25 April, with no indication as to when things may return to normal.

Both retailers have also warned that some customer data was accessed by the hackers, understood to be a criminal group named 'DragonForce'.

A 'significant' amount of data from 20 million past and current Co-op members was compromised, while M&S says that some customers' contact details, dates of birth and online order histories were stolen.

Customers' passwords and useable card details were not taken from either retailer.

If you're worried about your data, read on to find out how to stay safe against ransomware scams and how to protect your information after a cyberattack.

How to stay safe against ransomware scams

Ransomware attacks – which both Co-op and M&S have suffered – are a type of virus that locks up your system or encrypts the files on your PC. Hackers will then hold you to ransom in order to regain access.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has warned that the criminals launching these cyberattacks against retailers are impersonating IT helpdesks to break into the organisations' systems.

It issued guidance to organisations, urging them to review their IT helpdesk password-reset processes to reduce the chances of being hacked.

If you're worried about ransomware scams on your work or personal devices, there are some simple steps you can take to protect yourself:

Don't download attachments you haven't been expecting or click on links that are trying to persuade you to give away personal details. You can always contact a company directly if you want to check if a message is genuine.

Only download software and apps from a trusted source, and look for reputable software manufacturers when deciding what to download.

Always keep your PC operating system and any downloaded apps or other software updated. This allows you to benefit from the latest security protections.

Windows 10 and 11 allow you to turn on a setting that protects folders from unauthorised programs such as ransomware. To turn it on, open the Windows Security app (select the shield icon from your Taskbar – if you can't see it, click Show hidden icons, which looks like ^). Scroll down, select Ransomware protection and click Controlled folder access to turn it on. Windows 10 will lose its security support later this year – you can follow our advice on the steps to take to protect your computer.

Set up a restore point in case your device is compromised, and you need to restore it from safe mode. To do this, type 'create a restore point' into your PC's search panel. Click Create a restore point and a pop-up box will appear, then click Create. Name your restore point (for example, the month and year) and click Create. Once finished, your PC will confirm, and you can click Close.

A quality antivirus – whether paid-for or free – can also provide superb anti-ransomware protection. The best antivirus on test can prevent wide-scale hijacking of your files and device. Read our guide on the best antivirus software.

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